Health News
Your mother was right. She told you to brush your teeth and floss after every meal. Mom was concerned about cavities, and maybe avoiding a big dental bill, but it turns out flossing and brushing your teeth can do more than prevent cavities. Good dental hygiene can mean a longer, healthier life.
Your doctor may not mention it, but flossing your teeth at least once a day is important for heart health and probably joint health.
?There is a link between gum disease and cardiac disease,? says Ali Tabrizchi, D.O. a LifeBridge Health cardiologist.
According to a study reported in ?Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association,? poor dental hygiene may be a predictor for heart disease.
Evidence shows that those with periodontal disease are nearly twice as likely to have heart disease. Researchers theorize that bacteria from the mouth enter the bloodstream through the gums and contribute to blockages in the arteries.
Another theory is that as the body fights off infection caused by bacteria, inflammation causes the arteries to narrow.
And now, researchers are finding gum diseases that cause inflammation may also play a role in rheumatoid arthritis.
?There is speculation that dental and gum diseases can trigger rheumatoid arthritis,? says Peter K. Wung, M.D., a LifeBridge Health rheumatologist.
Pearly whites and fresh breath are only the icing on the cake for maintaining good oral hygiene. Reducing your risks of strokes, heart attacks and arthritis can be the real payoff.
-Sandra Crockett
- Brushing Teeth Twice A Day, Two Minutes At A Time, Is The Way To Prevent Cavities, A New Campaign Advises
Kids should brush their teeth twice a day for two whole minutes at a time, a new public-service campaign urges. The ?Kids? Healthy Mouths? campaign includes TV spots, print ads, a website, social media messages and other materials, reports Jennifer LaRue...
- Diabetes Can Cause Gum Disease And Tooth Decay
Though it's commonly known that diabetes can affect organ function and eyesight, an oral-health expert points out that the disease can also cause tooth decay and gum disease. "Diabetics with uncontrolled glucose levels tend to develop more gum disease...
- Evidence Grows Of Links Between Oral Health And Overall Health
"The eyes may be the window to the soul, but the mouth provides an even better view of the body as a whole," The Wall Street Journal's Melinda Beck writes in her Health Journal column. "Some of the earliest signs of diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, immune...
- Cavities Can Be Contagious, Researchers Have Found
A new study has found that cavities are contagious. "Just as a cold virus can be passed from one person to the next," so can cavity-causing bacteria that cling to teeth and eat food particles lodged on and between them, The New York Times' Anahan...
- Summit And Local Groups Focus Attention On Oral Health, A Big Problem For Kentucky And One That Can Hurt Overall Health
By Sarah Vos and Al Cross Kentucky Health News When it comes to dental health, Kentucky is down in the mouth. It ranks among the worst in the nation, with high numbers of working adults who don?t have all their teeth, and a high percentage of children...
Health News
Good Dental Health Habits Pay Off
Your mother was right. She told you to brush your teeth and floss after every meal. Mom was concerned about cavities, and maybe avoiding a big dental bill, but it turns out flossing and brushing your teeth can do more than prevent cavities. Good dental hygiene can mean a longer, healthier life.
Your doctor may not mention it, but flossing your teeth at least once a day is important for heart health and probably joint health.
?There is a link between gum disease and cardiac disease,? says Ali Tabrizchi, D.O. a LifeBridge Health cardiologist.
According to a study reported in ?Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association,? poor dental hygiene may be a predictor for heart disease.
Evidence shows that those with periodontal disease are nearly twice as likely to have heart disease. Researchers theorize that bacteria from the mouth enter the bloodstream through the gums and contribute to blockages in the arteries.
Another theory is that as the body fights off infection caused by bacteria, inflammation causes the arteries to narrow.
And now, researchers are finding gum diseases that cause inflammation may also play a role in rheumatoid arthritis.
?There is speculation that dental and gum diseases can trigger rheumatoid arthritis,? says Peter K. Wung, M.D., a LifeBridge Health rheumatologist.
Pearly whites and fresh breath are only the icing on the cake for maintaining good oral hygiene. Reducing your risks of strokes, heart attacks and arthritis can be the real payoff.
-Sandra Crockett
- Brushing Teeth Twice A Day, Two Minutes At A Time, Is The Way To Prevent Cavities, A New Campaign Advises
Kids should brush their teeth twice a day for two whole minutes at a time, a new public-service campaign urges. The ?Kids? Healthy Mouths? campaign includes TV spots, print ads, a website, social media messages and other materials, reports Jennifer LaRue...
- Diabetes Can Cause Gum Disease And Tooth Decay
Though it's commonly known that diabetes can affect organ function and eyesight, an oral-health expert points out that the disease can also cause tooth decay and gum disease. "Diabetics with uncontrolled glucose levels tend to develop more gum disease...
- Evidence Grows Of Links Between Oral Health And Overall Health
"The eyes may be the window to the soul, but the mouth provides an even better view of the body as a whole," The Wall Street Journal's Melinda Beck writes in her Health Journal column. "Some of the earliest signs of diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, immune...
- Cavities Can Be Contagious, Researchers Have Found
A new study has found that cavities are contagious. "Just as a cold virus can be passed from one person to the next," so can cavity-causing bacteria that cling to teeth and eat food particles lodged on and between them, The New York Times' Anahan...
- Summit And Local Groups Focus Attention On Oral Health, A Big Problem For Kentucky And One That Can Hurt Overall Health
By Sarah Vos and Al Cross Kentucky Health News When it comes to dental health, Kentucky is down in the mouth. It ranks among the worst in the nation, with high numbers of working adults who don?t have all their teeth, and a high percentage of children...