Some of our patients at Reflections Dental ask us if there’s a link between a healthy mouth and a healthy heart. Based on several studies, there’s a connection between these two.
Doctors have been studying about this potential relationship for decades. And there’s a good reason for that because heart disease is a serious medical condition and it affects millions of people around the world. Poor dental health is also a serious problem.
A lot of you may also ask if dentists could look into your mouth and know if you’re indeed at risk of developing a heart disease. Dentists may help in determining whether or not you’re likely to develop a medical heart condition, not just based on your mouth, but also your overall medical condition.
Taking care of your teeth is vital to prevent diseases. But don’t just focus on your oral health. Instead, you should also look into the other factors that can cause cardiovascular problems, such as your diet and lifestyle.
A connection between oral health and heart disease is still inconclusive. Some studies showed that there’s a link between gum disease and other medical conditions. Other studies, however, don’t prove anything.
Even if no substantial evidence showing that practicing excellent dental hygiene can prevent heart disease, you should still take care of your mouth by brushing your teeth after every meal or at least twice day.
Then, you should floss daily. Replace your toothbrush every three months. If it becomes bent before it reaches the third month, you should replace it.
You must also schedule an appointment with your dentist every six months or more often, depending on your current dental health.
What if your gums bleed when you floss?
If it’s your first time to floss, it’s okay to experience bleeding gums. That’s because your gums are tender, and tartar has built up.
Continue flossing and the bleeding will eventually stop. However, if you see experience gum bleeding after a few days of flossing, you should see your dentist.
There’s no need to be alarmed. Bleeding gums while flossing may not necessarily mean a serious issue. Rather, it may mean that you’re not flossing correctly.
When you visit your dentist, he/she can teach you the proper way to use floss and clean those areas in between your teeth.
Apart from the fact that flossing may prevent heart disease, it’s also important to remember that flossing can prevent your teeth from falling out.
If you don’t floss, bacterial build-up could get worse. It leads to a gum disease and periodontal disease, which is the number one cause of tooth loss. If you don’t want that, you should start the habit of flossing after brushing or at least before you go to bed.
Conclusion
There’s no solid link between flossing and heart disease. Researchers are still looking for a certain connection between these two. However, just because scientists can’t find a solid connection doesn’t mean that you ignore flossing.
Flossing is a part of an excellent dental routine as it can prevent gum disease and other dental and medical conditions. If you don’t know how to floss, you should talk to your dentist, and he/she could show you the proper way of flossing.