{"id":3303,"date":"2023-02-09T17:33:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T17:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/?p=3303"},"modified":"2023-03-09T17:33:58","modified_gmt":"2023-03-09T17:33:58","slug":"how-good-teeth-improve-heart-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/2023\/02\/09\/how-good-teeth-improve-heart-health\/","title":{"rendered":"For a Healthy Heart, Keep Your Teeth Clean"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/2023\/02\/09\/how-good-teeth-improve-heart-health\/\" class=\"block-image-link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/AdobeStock_474271802__1678379205_48839.jpg\" alt=\"National Heart Month logo\" class=\"wp-image-3304\" width=\"299\" height=\"180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/AdobeStock_474271802__1678379205_48839.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/AdobeStock_474271802__1678379205_48839-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/AdobeStock_474271802__1678379205_48839-768x461.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 299px) 100vw, 299px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Like most, you may think of February as a time for romance. After all, it\u2019s the month of Valentine\u2019s Day. In truth, though, these twenty-eight days have another role \u2013 they make up American Heart Month! February is thus devoted to your ticker\u2019s health, not just heart-shaped love. If you\u2019d like to honor the occasion, your local dentist is here to help. To that end, read on to learn how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/preventive-services.html\">the mouth<\/a> relates to the heart, including why gum disease harms it and some oral tips for improving it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Mouth-Heart Connection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As it turns out, your mouth\u2019s health impacts your heart. A suffering oral cavity leads to a weaker ticker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The core issue is that oral bacteria don\u2019t just stay in your mouth. They can also travel to your heart, attaching themselves to damaged areas and causing inflammation. The result of that process can trigger various heart problems \u2013 clogged arteries, strokes, etc. You could even suffer endocarditis, an infection of the heart\u2019s inner lining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Gum Disease &amp; Heart Health<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Gum disease is dangerous for the heart, raising your risk of heart disease. That danger only worsens if the gum infection is undiagnosed or unmanaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You see, the microbes that infect gums can get into your bloodstream. In doing so, they might elevate a C-reactive protein that can narrow your arteries. That effect, in turn, will increase your odds of heart attacks, high blood pressure, or congestive heart failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Oral Care Tips for a Stronger Heart<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Thankfully, keeping a clean mouth can reduce your heart disease risk. That being the case, remember the following tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Practice Good Oral Hygiene<\/strong> \u2013 Brush twice daily and floss once daily, all while paying attention to the gum line. This habit will help you prevent (or manage) gum disease.<\/li><li><strong>Visit the Dentist Often<\/strong> \u2013 Ideally, you should see your dentist twice yearly for checkups and cleanings. That way, they can diagnose and fix oral issues related to your heart.<\/li><li><strong>Don\u2019t Smoke<\/strong> \u2013 Besides staining teeth, tobacco products make you more likely to get gum disease. Therefore, try to quit smoking as best you can.<\/li><li><strong>Know your Risk Factors<\/strong> \u2013 Aside from smoking, gum disease risk is also influenced by age, diet, and genetics. So, talk to your dentist about any specific risk factors.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see, one step to better heart health is a clean and healthy mouth. As such, follow the tips above as you celebrate American Heart Month!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/dr-bruce-carter.html\"><em>Dr. Bruce E. Carter<\/em><\/a><em> is a dentist in Lawrenceville, GA, having earned his DDM from the University of Florida\u2019s College of Dentistry<\/em>. <em>He\u2019s also an American Academy of Dentistry fellow and a graduate of the Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education. Given this background, his specialties are comprehensive dental treatments and emergency smile care. <\/em><em>Dr. Carter currently practices at <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/\"><em>Transforming Smiles<\/em><\/a><em> and is reachable at <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/contact-us.html\"><em>his website<\/em><\/a><em> or by phone at <strong>(770)-995-7616<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Like most, you may think of February as a time for romance. After all, it\u2019s the month of Valentine\u2019s Day. In truth, though, these twenty-eight days have another role \u2013 they make up American Heart Month! February is thus devoted to your ticker\u2019s health, not just heart-shaped love. If you\u2019d like to honor the occasion, your local dentist is here to help. To that end, read on to learn how the mouth relates to the heart, including why gum disease harms it and some oral tips for improving it. <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/2023\/02\/09\/how-good-teeth-improve-heart-health\/\">(Read More)<\/a>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3303","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3303"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3303\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3306,"href":"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3303\/revisions\/3306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3303"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3303"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gwinnettsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}