All too often news reports quote some recent study that has identified another food, habit, exposure, or activity that will cause a medical problem leading to an early demise. I generally don’t worry about newly announced threats because I choose a healthy lifestyle of moderation in all things.
Then I heard that even though I feel no symptoms, my mouth could be quietly attacking many areas of my body with deadly germ warfare. This alarmed me because it does make sense that whatever we swallow will have an effect on the health of our bodily systems, so I did a little internet research of my own.
It all begins with gingivitis (early gum disease), which left untreated advances to periodontitis. According to The American Association of Periodontists, an estimated 35 percent of the population age 30 and over has periodontitis, yet many people do not even realize they have it. Periodontal disease is often silent, meaning symptoms may not appear until an advanced stage of the disease.
Periodontal disease may be silent but it can be deadly, having far more serious health ramifications than the tooth loss we’ve heard about before. It has now been shown that bacteria from dental gum disease can travel to other parts of the body and cause serious health concerns such as:
1. Heart Disease
Researchers have found that people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without periodontal disease. Studies indicate that periodontal disease may foster the development of clogged arteries and blood clots when oral bacteria get into the blood stream. Periodontal disease also has been known to exacerbate existing heart conditions.
2. Stroke
Additional studies have pointed to a relationship between periodontal disease and cbd weeds co uk. These studies reported that inflammatory effects from periodontal disease could cause oral bacterial byproducts to enter the bloodstream and trigger the liver to make proteins that inflame arteries. These effects may cause blood clots that contribute to clogged arteries leading to strokes.