Is Your Gum Health Increasing Your Heart Disease Risk?

The human heart works in mysterious ways. But, thanks to a surge in clinical research over the last couple of decades, we aren’t as in the dark about how this amazing organ goes about its business. Much of this research has been dedicated to uncovering and exploring the link between the heart and gum health. If you suffer from advanced gum disease, you are a shocking 2 to 3 times more likely to suffer from heart disease, and this is something we impress upon our patients as much as we can.

The good news is that there are plenty of simple steps you can take to improve your oral hygiene, with a view to reducing your heart disease risk. Not only will you be helping your ticker, but you will be alleviating unpleasant symptoms associated with gum disease, such as bad breath, gum bleeding and gum irritation.

If you’re looking for a dentist with a special interest in gum/periodontal health Leeds’ Meliora Dental is one of the few practices in the area to have state-of-the-art hygiene facilities. We’re also really lucky to have our very own periodontal health Guru, Dr Namrata Sharma. We’ll be discussing her expertise and approach later in the piece… for now though, let’s look at how heart and mouth are so closely intertwined.

Heart And Mouth – The Link Is Closer Than You Think

Just like the body, the mouth is a hotbed for all kinds of bacteria, most of which are harmless.

However, if inflammation occurs in the mouth this is where things can become problematic for the rest of the body, including the body’s navel; the heart.

When harmful biofilms like plaque and tartar collect on your teeth, the gums start to struggle. They react by becoming inflamed, and as a result they can bleed. Whilst a bit of bleeding now and then is normal when you floss, if your gums are bleeding regularly, it’s time to look up ‘gum/periodontal health Leeds’ in Google to get an appointment with us here at Meliora Dental.

Bleeding can indicate that plaque and tartar have entered your bloodstream. This is where your overall health can suffer, particularly your heart. Plaque is the arch-enemy of the heart. It’s made up of fatty deposits and cellular waste, both of which are no friend to your health.

When plaque builds up in the arteries (a clinical condition called Atherosclerosis) the walls thicken and stiffen. This can restrict blood flow, causing heart disease, and even a stroke or heart attack.

How we can help you prevent and manage gum disease

Our experienced gum/periodontal team can help you increase your defences against gum and heart disease. We are one of the only practices in our area to have state-of-the-art equipment to achieve this.

Our Airflow machine is a game-changer for reaching and eliminating plaque around individual teeth. Whilst hand scaling equipment used by dentists can remove a proportion of the harmful substances on your teeth, they can’t quite dispose of them all.

Airflow is a detail-minded piece of equipment – it’s meticulous and leaves behind virtually no plaque whatsoever. This can significantly reduce your risk of developing gum disease, and complications like heart disease as a result.

Our patients love Airflow as much as we dentists do, telling us how gentle the handheld device is on their teeth. We are committed to using equipment that will enhance the patient experience and Airflow certainly ticks this box, particularly for those with sensitive teeth.

The hand scaling equipment we use to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth has also been thoughtfully selected by Dr Namrata. American Eagle scalers are designed with an ergonomic tip which moves efficiently in between your teeth without causing discomfort.

This equipment makes a huge difference to your overall experience, and when receiving treatment for gum disease at Meliora Dental.

Empowering you to cultivate good habits at home

Keeping on top of your brushing and flossing is of huge benefit to your oral health. Even just a few missed brushing and flossing sessions here and there are enough for gum disease to set in.

Once gum disease progresses to its advanced stages (this is known as periodontal disease), your gum anatomy starts to change. Gums recede, becoming loose around the root of individual teeth. This is how plaque finds a doorway into the bloodstream. The other complication of this is that teeth will start to become loose, and eventually fall out.

Here at Meliora Dental we spend time talking through lifestyle advice with our patients, so they can take their gum health into their own hands at home.

We always emphasise that good gum health is the collective effort of many small health habits. These include:

• Good brushing and flossing technique.
• Using a fluoride toothpaste.
• Refraining from using tobacco products.
• Maintaining a diet low in saturated fats, sugar, and salt.

If you’re stuck with where to start with these habits, that’s where our experienced periodontal dentist (Dr Namrata Sharma comes in.

Dental Hygienist Leeds – experienced gum clinicians at Meliora Dental

Dr Namrata Sharma is the lead periodontal dentist. Meliora Dental. She provides preventive care and restorative hygiene techniques to address gingivitis (early-stage gum disease), and periodontal disease (advanced gum disease).

But Dr Namrata doesn’t just work in oral hygiene and dentistry, she lives and breathes it.

In her spare time, you will often find Namrata reading up on the latest trailblazing nutrition studies and articles. Her genuine interest in her work is evident when she works with patients, who often let us know how helpful her guidance has been for them.

Namrata is currently working towards a Diploma in Periodontics that encompasses the role of nutrition in maintaining good gum health.

Keep your eyes peeled for our interview with Namrata on how nutrition affects your gum health later this month!

Contact Meliora Dental for oral hygiene maintenance and treatment

Contact our friendly team for personalised hygiene care and nutritional advice. Whatever your oral hygiene status, our clinical team can help, providing advanced treatment in a judgement-free and welcoming environment.