A healthy smile is not just good for the teeth and gums but the rest of your body as well. In particular, the heart benefits from healthy teeth and gums as professional dental cleanings have been linked to healthier heart health.
How Your Mouth Impacts the Heart
- Studies show that people who had professional dental cleanings at least once every two years for scaling were 24% less likely to have a heart attack.
- Research subjects also had the risk of stroke dropped by 13%.
- Inflammation that starts in the mouth (gum disease) can lead to heart disease as the infection travels through the bloodstream.
- Chronic inflammation has been linked to a hardening of the arteries.
What this means is that a healthy mouth can help your overall health as well. Limit oral bacteria by brushing and flossing meticulously every single day. If oral bacterial is allowed to build up, it turns to plaque—that sticky film coating the teeth and gums (which you can feel if you run your tongue along the gum line) that will harden into tartar if not removed daily. At this stage, tartar requires special scaling tools to remove.
During your dental cleaning appointment, we remove the hardened plaque, or tartar, using special scaling tools. This removal will help prevent periodontal (advanced gum) disease, and help prevent cardiovascular disease as well. Your dental cleanings combined with your daily oral care at home, work together to help you build a solid foundation for good oral health.
So take a moment to ensure your healthy smile and a healthier heart by scheduling your next dental cleaning. You can schedule a cleaning by one of our caring team of dentists, Dr. George J. Kinney, Jr., Dr. Thomas J. Musser or Dr. Renee M. Kinney by calling Art & Science Family Dentistry in Woodbury, Minnesota at 651-739-1894 today!