Tips from BCBSVT: Good Oral Health Can Help Your Heart

 

Keeping your heart healthy is about more than exercise and eating well; it's also about oral health.

To find ways to keep your heart healthy, one important place you should look is in your mouth. That’s because taking good care of your teeth and gums can help protect you against cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack and stroke. It can also help with controlling your blood pressure.

Multiple studies have found links between oral health and heart disease. For example, a study published in the Journal of Dental Research found that people with untreated tooth infections are 2.7 times more likely to have heart problems than people who have had their dental infections treated.

Researchers believe that poor oral health, such as a tooth infection or gum disease, allows bacteria to enter the bloodstream, where they can cause blood vessel inflammation and damage. That can lead to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.

Inflammation stemming from poor oral health can also increase blood pressure. A study published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension found that people with gum disease were 20 percent less likely to have healthy blood pressure. People with healthier gums tended to have lower blood pressure.

Another study found that people with moderate to severe gum disease had a 22 percent increased risk of high blood pressure, while the risk for those with severe gum disease increased by 49 percent.

What You Can Do

You can reduce your risk of developing heart and blood pressure problems by taking good care of your teeth and gums:

• Floss and brush your teeth twice a day, including at bedtime. Use fluoride toothpaste.
• Cut down on sugary foods and drinks.
• Visit a dentist regularly for preventive care. Most people should visit their dentist every six months, but if you have gum disease or other problems you may need to visit more often.
• If you have tooth pain, which might be a sign of infection, get it checked by a dentist.