We have been reading news about heart attacks and strokes every now and then these days. A bus driver had a heart attack. Someone was dancing and enjoying the wedding, suddenly fell down and died due to a heart stroke. You must have read any or all news like this sort in the past few months.
What could be the reason behind increasing heart risks and diseases nowadays and that also at such a young age?
Well, there are several reasons that affect the health of the heart; from stressful life to bad food habits, inactive lifestyle, and even dental disease. This might sound surprising that your oral health can lead you to a healthy or unhealthy heart, but this is true.
Let’s understand how your dental health can help you prevent heart attacks.
How does dental health lead to heart attack?
Our body carries different types of good and bad bacteria. Of course, we need to get rid of bad bacteria. While good bacteria need to be preserved to keep the body functioning. One of the bacteria found in the mouth is Streptococcus. It is one of the most dangerous bacteria found in the human body.
Due to gum disease like periodontitis, streptococcus gets active. This bacterium negatively affects the valve of the heart. This leads to stroke and heart attack. According to the PubMed Central study report, the risk of heart disease to a person with gum disease is 20% higher. Even the American Heart Association and American Dental Association have found and acknowledged the link between oral health and heart attacks.
What are the symptoms of periodontitis or gum disease?
There are some common signs of gum disease such as:
- Bleeding gums (Masudo se khoon aana / Pedha ma thi lohi avavu)
- Red or purplish gums (masudo ka bahot zyada laal ho jana / Ekdum laal pedha)
- Swollen gums (masudo me sujan / Pedha ma sojo)
- Bleeding while brushing or flossing (brush karate samay khoon aana / brush karata pedha ma thi k modha ma thi lohi avavu)
- Bad breath (muh se badbu aana / modh ma thi durgandh k vas avavi)
These are some common symptoms of gum disease (pedha na rog na lakshano k jena thi heart attack avi sake).
How to keep oral health to prevent gum disease and heart risks?
By following simple yet effective healthy lifestyle habits, you can manage healthy gums and teeth. This can further help in reducing the risk of a heart attack.
- Brush teeth twice a day.
- Use fluoride toothpaste.
- Ask the right way of brushing teeth to your dentist or the best dentist in Ahmedabad. This might be surprising, but yes, many of us need to learn the right way of brushing yet to keep our teeth and gums healthy.
- Floss at least once or twice a day.
- Avoid smoking, chewing tobacco, eating sugary and unhealthy food, and more.
- Include more vegetables, fruits, and high fibre food in the diet.
- Visit the best dental clinic in Ahmedabad or your city at least twice a year or as recommended by the best dentist in Ahmedabad.
- Do not ignore the signs and symptoms of gum disease.
Keeping good oral health and healthy teeth can reduce the risk of heart attack by up to 20%. If you want to book an appointment with the best dentist in Ahmedabad, click here. Dentist Khushbu Modi can help you with a routine dental checkup, identifying early symptoms of gum disease and treating it effectively.