Gum Disease Can Lead To Serious Health Problems Including Heart Disease

March 10, 2011 - PRLog -- San Diego, CA – Dream Smile San Diego dentist office specializes in cosmetic dentistry, general dental services and emergency dental services. They are the best and most affordable dentist in San Diego, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, Del Mar, Ocean Beach and Clairemont.

San Diego Pacific Beach Dentist says that Gum diseases (periodontal diseases) are chronic bacterial infections that affect the gums and supporting structures of the teeth and, if left untreated, can lead to serious health problems including heart disease.

When the link between cardiovascular heart disease and periodontal disease was identified and debated in the 1990’s, there were many skeptics who dismissed it entirely.

However, San Diego Pacific Beach Dentist believes that as more patient cases surfaced and were evaluated through epidemiological studies, the more the correlation became evident among the medical community. Approximately 80 percent of American adults have some form of gum disease.

There have been multiple scientific explanations proposed for the perio-cardio correlation. Mainly inflammation markers (C-Reactive protein, White blood cells count, Fibrinogen).

These markers of inflammation were found to be elevated in patients with periodontal disease.

He states that once these patients were treated with non surgical periodontal therapy (deep scaling and root planning) the levels of these markers decreased significantly (21-40%).

Researchers from San Diego Pacific Beach Dentist have found that people with periodontal disease are twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease compared to those without periodontal disease.

Recently a consensus paper on the relationship between heart disease and gum disease was published to address the scientific evidence that links periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease and explains the underlying biologic and inflammatory mechanisms that may be the basis for the connection. This paper also provided clinical recommendations for medical and dental professionals to use in managing patients with these diseases.

Heart disease is not the only health risk associated with periodontal disease. Clinical studies have linked gum disease to respiratory conditions, premature births and diabetes due to the bacteria in the mouth traveling throughout the body.

San Diego Pacific Beach Dentist believes that there are still more questions to be answered and clinical research to be conducted to determine if periodontal disease (periodontitis) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardio vascular disease.            

Contact your San Diego dentist for periodontal and gum treatment.

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Contact Details:

Dream Smile Dentist San Diego
Dr. Fray Zerafat  DDS
4501 Mission Bay Drive, Suite 2E
San Diego, CA 92109
California
Website: http://www.sandiegodreamsmile.com
Phone: 858-270-6626
Email: fray@sandiegodreamsmile.com