SOMEONE SENT US A QUESTION ABOUT CONNECTION BETWEEN ORAL HEALTH AND HEART DISEASES. THE PICTURE EXPLAINS IT’S ANSWER BRIEFLY. READ THE POST FOR A DETAILED DESCRIPTION ON THE TOPIC.
Our oral cavity is a hub of microbes, lots of different strains of bacteria are always present in everyone’s mouth. Brushing daily and having regular dental check-up minimises the chances of excessive growth of those bacteria and hence keep our mouth in a healthy state.
Now, how is your oral health connected with your heart diseases ?
Well, bacteria in your mouth multiply in large numbers(when you do not take care of your oral health properly), they form plaque and calculus(also known as tartar). These adhere to the tooth surface and cause a condition known as gingivitis which with time causes more and more damage to your gums and hence tendency to bleed while eating or brushing and sometimes spontaneous bleeding occurs. Bacteria enters the bloodstream via gums which in normal or immunocompromised people can lead to bacteremia which can further lead to shock and in some specific heart conditions bacteria stick to the heart tissues and start dividing there causing acute bacterial endocarditis.
Acute bacterial endocarditis causes excessive damage to the heart and if not treated properly can lead to death.
Now, would you like to know who are most prone to this ?
Main risk group for this condition is people with any kind of congenital heart defect, people who had valvular surgery in past or any kind of cardiac surgery.
Treatment for this condition is a very long one, which can continue till many weeks and contains almost all medicines given via injection on a daily basis, Imagine one small mistake of not taking care of your oral health leading to injections on a daily basis for so many weeks.
PREVENTION
So, what should be done to prevent this ?
- Brush and Floss regularly.
- Have a healthy diet rich in all essential nutrients.
- Avoid tobacco products, smoking can lead to a very bad oral health status.
- If you have any kind of heart surgery or congenital heart defect, have regular health check-up including thorough dental check-up, let your dentist know about your condition before he/she performs any procedure and have your dental visit custom-made by your dentist according to your health status. Problem like endocarditis can be easily prevented by antibiotics before any kind of procedure which will be decided by your dentist according to your general and oral health status.
QUESTIONS?
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