Gums, Healthy Hearts and Other Stuff

“The Tooth And Nothing But The Tooth”

By Chris “Dr Smile Maker” Branfield

Can Gum Disease Affect Your Health?

Well yes. Straight in there. Gum disease is inflammation of the gums, usually caused by plaque bacteria and affects most of the population to varying degrees. In a lot of cases it is limited to just the gums when they become red, can swell and bleed when you brush. In a smaller number of people this inflammation can go deeper and affect the bone, and indeed, there is bone loss around the teeth. Eventually the teeth can become loose and or abscess and require taking out or in extreme cases fall out.

Bacteria from the disease can get into the blood stream and cause all sorts of other stuff.

Gums And Cardiovascular Disease

There have been lots of studies now and they show that people with gum disease are far more likely to have coronary artery disease that can lead to heart attacks. Also people with gum disease have a greater risk of strokes.

When bacteria from the gum disease get into the bloodstream proteins are released that cause inflammation of blood vessels that can lead to blockages and clots being formed. This is what causes the heart disease and stokes. So healthy gums, healthy heart!  

“Dr Smile Maker’s” Rant

Oh dear what’s this all about. Well this is some thing I feel really passionate about. Gum Disease Is Treatable but you need to identify it, explain it and work as a team to sort it. The thing is gum disease is usually not painful so you may not know that it is there. The first you may know about it is when your dentist or hygienist tells you. Gum disease is the most commonly undiagnosed dental problem. We always do a proper gum health screen at each and every dental examination. It is so important that we check so that we can look after you properly. If you don’t look you don’t find. Over the years I have seen many people that I wished that we had seen many years before to try and sort out their gum problems.

Now, for one reason or another over the last year I have seen more than my fair share of undiagnosed gum disease and it breaks my heart. I am happy to say that the majority have responded well and as a team (patient, hygienist and dentist) we can improve gum health. It is old fashioned to not look or ignore it. You have the right to know and do something about it. After all, as we have already mentioned earlier it is not just about teeth and gums. Make sure that your dentist or hygienist does a gum health screen.

Well, that’s that of my chest.

Until next time. Take care and be good.

 

Chris 

Chris Branfield is Principal Dentist at Castle Park Dental Care, Castle Villa, 28 Castle Road, Cottingham, telephone 01482 772550. He has been in dental practice for 21 years and has a special interest in life changing, pain free dentistry with dental implants, rapid teeth straightening and cosmetic dentistry. And, not only that Chris is founder member and trustee of Dental Mavericks charity- ending the daily dental pain of Moroccan kids. For more patient success stories and Chris’s charity work go here now www.castleparkdental.co.uk