Does Gum Disease Cause Heart Disease?

This is a big question that has been discussed for years. I was even told recently by my own dentist that the two are linked. My father died of a heart attack at the age of 47 and as a child growing up I remember him using products to care for his gums and to prevent them from bleeding…definite signs of gum disease.  It raised questions in my mind and since then I have read many articles about it.

Is There Proof That Gum Disease Causes Heart Disease?

This article says there is no convincing evidence.

WEDNESDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) — A new scientific statement issued by the American Heart Association says no convincing evidence exists linking untreated gum disease to heart disease or stroke. Nor is there strong evidence that treating gum disease can reduce your risk of heart disease or stroke, the report says.

For more than 100 years, it was said that gum, or periodontal, disease could lead to cardiovascular disease, a major cause of death in the United States, but an extensive analysis found no proof of that connection.

They also said that both these issues produce inflammation which is what Dr Dwight Lundell says is the real cause of heart disease.

Gum disease, heart disease and stroke all produce inflammation in the body. The conditions share some risk factors, such as cigarette smoking, age and diabetes, which is why they often develop in the same people.

…and my father was a smoker.

In another article written by Perio.org they had this to say about peridontal disease (gum disease) and the link to cardiovascular disease.

While current research does not yet provide evidence of a causal relationship between the two diseases, scientists have identified biologic factors, such as chronic inflammation, that independently link periodontal disease to the development or progression of cardiovascular disease in some patients.

Dr. McClain encourages physicians and dentists to communicate the association between cardiovascular disease and periodontal disease to patients. “It is not as simple as telling a patient that brushing and flossing will ward off a heart attack,” says Dr. McClain. “Patients should be aware that by maintaining periodontal health, they are helping to reduce harmful inflammation in the body, which has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.” Perio.org

So from now on I think I will listen to my dentist…just in case. You can certainly make lifestyle changes to get your gums and heart healthy. For instance do you have a good diet? Do you smoke? If you do, maybe you will consider quitting…just in case.

In conclusion, heart disease prevention is about how you live today. Anyway, what do you think? Have you heard about the two being linked? Or have you been told by your dentist they are? Please leave your comments below and if you feel this article is worth sharing, please click the share button!

Natural Heart Health Tips

Natural Ways to Have a Healthy Heart

According to statistics, heart problems are among the leading causes of death in the world today for both men and women. Quite interestingly, a lot of these deaths were not inevitable. In other words, millions of people shouldn’t have died had they given more attention to their heart health.

Sure, there are some factors leading to heart disease that are beyond anyone’s control, like age, family history, gender or genetics.

Even if you have all these uncontrollable factors pitted against you, you can still avoid many cardiovascular problems by practicing natural heart health habits. Start now, it is never to late.

For example, if you already know that you are at risk for heart disease because it runs in the family, you can take a stand against it by taking the necessary steps for you. Maybe you need to start trimming down and doing regular cardio workouts.

Do whatever it takes.

There are quite a few steps you can take to get your heart working in a healthy manner. The heart is an important muscle, yet one many forget. Sometimes I think more people are interested in building up big biceps, rather than making their heart a healthy, well functioning machine!

So what can you do to get started?

Steps To Natural Heart Health

1. Exercise – It is rather surprising why people don’t seem to seriously consider exercise as a natural heart health practice. Many overweight people think exercising is just for the physical benefit of looking great, and because they don’t want to subscribe to the idea that skinny is beautiful, they choose to skip the exercise and stay overweight. What they don’t understand is that the excess weight on their body actually burdens their heart and ultimately makes it weaker. Nobody’s forcing them to be thin but their heart will surely thank them if they just lose some of the extra weight.

2. Food and Diet – Food is the next most important aspect of natural heart health. If you want to keep your heart strong and healthy, you have to be careful of what you put into your mouth. The ideal diet is one that is low in cholesterol, sodium and fat, but high in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and natural fibers. Drinking eight glasses of water a day is also recommended.

3. Alcohol and Smoking – Minimize alcohol drinking and quit smoking altogether for natural heart health. Smoking does not add anything good for your health at all and you are actually shortening your life with each cigarette that you smoke. I have heard people say, smoking reduces their stress levels and so that must be helping their heart more than the smoke harming them.  Who are they kidding? Don’t smoke if you want a healthy heart.

4. Reduce Stress – Finally, you can round up your natural heart health regime by avoiding stressful situations as much as possible. Stress can cause high blood pressure and if you experience this constantly, heart disease won’t be far behind. If you work in a stressful environment, make sure to take frequent breaks in order to take a deep breath and relax your mind so as not to be affected by all the stress and tension around you.

If you take all these natural steps towards a health heart, you won’t need to rely on medications or heart health supplements, or other artificial treatments later on in life. With these natural heart health practices, you will not only have a healthier heart but live a longer and happier life as well.

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