A Perth Dentist's Blog

Is your reluctance to ‘fix your mouth’ attacking your heart?

The links between gum (periodontal) health and cardiovascular health have been under scrutiny by scientists for years. People suffering from periodontitis (gum disease) can be twice as likely to suffer from a heart attack.

There is growing evidence that chronic infections and the inflammatory chemicals from gum disease may be involved in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis – the plaques that block arteries and blood vessels, leading to heart attacks or strokes.

A fascinating new finding is that oral infections such as gum disease can cause your immune system to attack its own proteins, clogging your arteries. According to Professor G Seymore of the University of Otago Dunedin, “control of gum disease should be essential in reducing the risk of heart disease.”

Now scientists have found that heart attack and gum disease share a genetic link as well.

On a personal note: As my dental clinic in Perth specialises in sedation and complex reconstructive, implant and surgical dentistry, my team and I have the pleasure of bringing patients suffering from advanced dental problems and often severe phobias back to oral health. We enjoy helping patients with advanced needs develop their oral health, their ability to eat, socialise and smile with confidence. We can take special satisfaction in knowing we’re probably helping save their life as well!

This year the team from Perth Sedation Dentistry and our sister Churchill Dental Practice participated in the National Dental Foundation’s Dental Rescue Day. (The term ’sister practice’ is quite apt here, literally, as my sister is my partner dentist).

We were fortunate enough to provide dental care to needy patients who were referred to us by various charity organisations. Several patients presented with advanced dental disease and I was proud to see the entire team working their hardest to provide more care than we thought possible in the alloted time! It was great to help all of these patients, many of whom required emergency care. But it was particularly rewarding for the team to stay overtime in order to treat a young lady who left our rooms with a new smile. Having suffered from disadvantage in life which had led to rampant dental decay, she was able to smile for the first time in years and we later heard that her entire demeanour and self esteem had been transformed.

Dental Rescue Day is a great initiative and we hope to be involved again in the future.