Dentists aways have told us that 'Gum Disease' can cause *Heart Disease* if left untreated.?

Question

But Dentists have never told us really the reason WHY and HOW it happens.
-->Human Biologically speaking... How does Gum Disease affect the Heart, that being a long 2 feet apart from each other <-- ??

Is it cause sometimes weeks-old food from Under the Gum finally comes out while chewing and then gets swallowed? And the Heart can't take Rotton Food through the blood stream to well ??.......or

What is the real reason ?

Answer 1

Excellent question and i meant to look it up myself before now

heres the answer



http://www.perio.org/consumer/mbc.heart.htm

Answer 2

I don't recall ever hearing a dentist say gum disease could cause heart disease. However, it is not uncommon for problems in one part of the body to cause problems in another part of the body. Perhaps trying to fight one problem makes the body less able to defend other weak areas of the body. Perhaps gum disease releases some sort of toxin in the blood stream that affects the heart. Perhaps people with gum disease change their diet and start eating more foods that increase the chances of heart disease (not hard to imagine someone who has pain when chewing eating more soft foods - possibly loaded with bad fats).

There was a case about 2-3 months ago where a boy in Philadelphia (? city) died as a result of toxins from an abscessed tooth.

Answer 3

If your gums are not healthy, ie when they bleed, you realize that there is an open wound there all the time. All sorts of germs and bacteria pass through your mouth every day, but they don't go further. Plus the gum disease itself consists of bacteria on the gums. However, if your gums are not tight, and there are open blood vessels, the germs and bacteria can pass through there and into your blood stream, which leads directly to your heart. This may cause endocarditis, a bacterial infection of the heart, that can kill you.

Answer 4

Overall the data indicates that chronic gum disease may contribute to the development of heart disease, the nation's leading cause of death in both men and women.
Gum disease is a bacterial infection that can affect conditions outside your mouth. In heart disease, one theory is that gum disease can cause bacteria to enter the bloodstream where they attach to the fatty deposits in the heart blood vessels. This condition can cause blood clots and may lead to heart attacks.
The Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health states that good oral health is integral to general health. So be sure to brush and floss properly and see your dentist for regular checkups.
To maintain the best oral health, you should:

Establish and maintain a healthy mouth. This means brushing and flossing daily and visiting your dentist regularly.
Make sure your dentist knows you have a heart problem.
Carefully follow your physician's and dentist's instructions, and use prescription medications, such as antibiotics, as directed.
If you have certain preexisting heart conditions, you may be at risk for developing bacterial endocarditis — an infection of the heart's inner lining or the valves. Anytime there is bleeding in the mouth, certain oral bacteria can enter the blood stream and may settle on abnormal heart valves or tissue weakened by an existing heart problem or heart condition. In these cases, the infection can damage or even destroy heart valves or tissue.
There are precautions you need to take if you have any of the following conditions:

Artificial (prosthetic) heart valves
A history of endocarditis
Congenital heart or heart valve defects
Heart valves damaged (scarred) by conditions such as rheumatic fever
Mitral valve prolapse with a murmur
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Be sure to tell your dentist if you have a heart condition, and what, if any, medications you are taking for it. Your dentist will record important health information in your record and coordinate treatment with your physician.

Answer 5

Periodontal bacteria can enter the blood stream and travel to major organs and begin new infections. Research is suggesting that this may: Contribute to the development of heart disease, the nation's leading cause of death.
Increase the risk of stroke.
Increase a woman's risk of having a preterm, low birth weight baby.
Pose a serious threat to people whose health is compromised by diabetes, respiratory diseases, or osteoporosis.

Answer 6

I was told by my dentist that infection of the gums is a type of poison that if not taken care of can eventually travel through your blood system and not only affect your heart but other vital organs.

Answer 7

Direct quote from website listed below:

Heart Disease
Several theories exist to explain the link between periodontal disease and heart disease. One theory is that oral bacteria can affect the heart when they enter the blood stream, attaching to fatty plaques in the coronary arteries (heart blood vessels) and contributing to clot formation. Coronary artery disease is characterized by a thickening of the walls of the coronary arteries due to the buildup of fatty proteins. Blood clots can obstruct normal blood flow, restricting the amount of nutrients and oxygen required for the heart to function properly. This may lead to heart attacks.
Another possibility is that the inflammation caused by periodontal disease increases plaque build up, which may contribute to swelling of the arteries.
Researchers have found that people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease can also exacerbate existing heart conditions. Patients at risk for infective endocarditis may require antibiotics prior to dental procedures. Your periodontist and cardiologist will be able to determine if your heart condition requires use of antibiotics prior to dental procedures.
Stroke
Additional studies have pointed to a relationship between periodontal disease and stroke. In one study that looked at the causal relationship of oral infection as a risk factor for stroke, people diagnosed with acute cerebrovascular ischemia were found more likely to have an oral infection when compared to those in the control group.

Answer 8

with gum disease you have infection if it is left untreated. this infection goes to your heart and starts to damage it and the valves. if you go to a "good" dentist he/she will always give you an antibiotic before doing any dental work. hope this helps.