Pearly whites key to good health
A visit to the dentist can reveal more than the state of one’s oral health. Few people realise how closely oral health is linked to cardiac health. Dr Michael Froeschl, an interventional cardiologist at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, says oral health is “critically important in patients who are at risk of developing infections of the heart and heart valves”.
A visit to the dentist can reveal more than the state of one’s oral health. Few people realise how closely oral health is linked to cardiac health.
Dr Michael Froeschl, an interventional cardiologist at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, says oral health is “critically important in patients who are at risk of developing infections of the heart and heart valves”.
This is why dental assessments are required before heart-valve surgery and why “patients are encouraged to practise very conscientious oral hygiene and make regular dentists’ visits as the most important thing they can do to decrease the risk of infection of their new valve”.
Oral care also has a significant impact on lung and respiratory disease.
“About three million Canadians have serious lung disease. If they have periodontal disease that’s not treated, it will severely complicate or worsen the lung disease they already have.
Researchers say if residents in a long-term care facility or hospital receive oral hygiene care, it can reduce their risk of developing pneumonia by up to 60%.
“We know that pneumonia can often be a fatal complication for the frail elderly and people who are very sick. If we can control that complication, it obviously has a huge implication on their overall health,” researchers say.
“There are lots of new thoughts on overall health and wellness that are specifically looking at reducing the bacterial burden in the mouth and the inflammation around the teeth as a way to reduce whole-body inflammation,” says Dr Anthony Iacopino.
“More and more, we are looking at inflammation in the body being responsible for chronic diseases that are affecting the population in growing proportions as the population ages and we seem to be gravitating to an unhealthier lifestyle.
“One way to increase overall health is to decrease the level of inflammation. A reliable and easy way to do that is to make sure the mouth is healthy,” he said.
