About Your Heart When You Have Missing Teeth

About Your Heart When You Have Missing Teeth

Unhealthy gums have been scientifically linked to over a dozen systemic health problems. Research on this regularly makes headlines. It’s arguably the most familiar aspect of mouth/body health, recognized by conventional and biological dentists alike.

Yet outside the dental profession, most people remain unaware of it.
One recent study focused on patients with at least one chronic condition that’s been associated with gum disease. More than half had severe periodontitis, the advanced form of gum disease in which tissue damage occurs.

Just 26.1% of those surveyed knew that conditions such as heart disease and periodontal disease appear to go hand-in-hand. Although we don’t yet know exactly why they do, there are a number of possibilities.

The Gum Disease/Heart Disease Relationship

We know that oral bacteria can enter the bloodstream, for instance, and some species can cause platelets to clump together and form clots. This can lead to inflammation and the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries. Hello, heart disease!

We also know that gum disease can cause long-term inflammation, which is associated with higher levels of certain proteins and immune responses that likewise promote the buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries. The inflammation may even cause the body to produce antibodies that mistakenly attack its own cells, contributing to artery damage and heart disease.

What we don’t yet know is whether one condition actually causes the other. That continues to be studied, along with the possibility that periodontal therapy can actually improve heart health.

Still, it’s clear that this is just one more way in which oral and whole body health are inseparable.

Can Unhealthy Gums Mean Earlier Death?

That brings us to a study published earlier this summer in the Journal of Endodontics.

An international team of researchers started with a comprehensive search for studies that investigated the relationship between missing teeth and cardiovascular death. Twelve articles determined to be of good quality made the cut, and these were deeply analyzed by the team.

Collectively, the studies showed that people who had lost multiple teeth had a 66% higher risk of dying from heart-related problems compared to those who had retained more of their natural dentition.

The risk of death was elevated for those with 10 teeth or fewer, and much higher for people who had lost all their teeth.

“Our findings clearly show that tooth loss is not just a dental issue,” said lead author Anita Aminoshariae in a news release, but a significant predictor of cardiovascular disease mortality. Maintaining good oral health is essential, not only for a healthy smile, but also for a healthy heart. This study underscores the importance of regular dental check-ups and preventive care to reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events.

To that, we might add the importance of good periodontal care specifically. After all, not only is it linked with heart disease; it’s the most common reason for adult tooth loss.

It’s also preventable and treatable – one of the reasons we stress the importance of regular dental visits, as well as prevention at home through good oral hygiene and healthy eating. It’s the best insurance there is for keeping both teeth and gums healthy for your lifetime.

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