In our last blog post, your Dakota Dental Clinic provided you with proactive information about the prevention of oral cancer as well as the important role that routine dental services and exams play in its early detection – increasing survival rate to about 90%.
While your Apple Valley dentists, Dr. Shelley and Dr. Bennett, consistently perform oral cancer screenings during every dental exam at their Apple Valley dental clinic, it’s also important to note that seeing your dentist regularly significantly reduces your risk for heart disease – the largest killer in America.
Professional tooth scaling dental procedures were directly associated with fewer heart attacks and strokes in a study presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific sessions in 2011.
Within this study, more than 100,000 people were followed for an average of seven years. Those individuals who were faithful to have their dental procedures and professional cleanings performed on a regular basis had a 24% lower risk of heart attack and 13% lower risk of stroke compared to those who did not have professional dental cleanings.
This American Heart Association study did not adjust for heart attack and stroke risk factors such as diet, weight or smoking. Doctors who helped run the study determined that professional tooth scaling dental services appear to reduce inflammation-causing bacterial growth that can lead to heart disease or stoke.
So exactly how does visiting Dakota Dental Family Dentistry for your regular dental services and cleanings positively affect your heart health?
Well, the bacteria within the mouth can enter the bloodstream through the gums. This type of bacteria has also been found within artery plaque. So it’s possible that these bacteria adhere to the fatty plaques in the bloodstream and directly contribute to cardiovascular blockages.
Additionally, because inflammation is the body’s natural response to infection, it’s possible that as oral bacteria travels throughout the body, they trigger an inflammation-response, causing the blood cells to swell. This inflammation and swelling could narrow arteries and increase the risk of clots.
Researchers gathering data to better understand the underlying causes of disease are gathering more and more supporting information suggesting that many diseases such as heart disease and arthritis are linked to swelling and the body’s inflammatory response.
So come on in!
The caring staff at Dakota Dental Family Dentistry not only provides you with the professional dental procedures to have an absolutely beautiful smile, enjoy pain-free oral health, keep all of your teeth throughout your lifetime with added cardiovascular health benefits – we provide all of these dental services within a caring, non-stressful environment with your optimal comfort in mind.