Dental Plaque and Heart Disease 02/13/12

I spend a great deal of time explaining how proper diet, exercise and supplements can help prevent and assist in the management of many healthconditions. However, in the prevention of heart and vascular disease it should also be pointed out that getting regular dental check-ups and dental cleanings are important additional measures. A recent report showed that you may reduce your risk of heart attack by as much as 26% by simply having your the plaque scraped off your teeth by a registered dental hygienist, on a regular basis. There are two explanations as to why keeping your mouth free from dental plaque helps reduce risk of vascular disease:

One is that the bacteria that cause periodontal disease can release toxins into or travel through the bloodstream and help to form fatty plaques in the arteries. These plaque deposits can lead to serious problems, such as blood clots, which can block blood flow.

The other explanation is that these bacteria cause the liver to make high levels of certain proteins, which inflame the blood vessels. Inflammation eventually could lead to a heart attack or stroke. For example, high blood levels of C-reactive protein and fibrinogen (proteins released from the liver) are associated with blood vessel inflamation and risk of heart attack and vascular problems. Bacteria from dental plaque can be partially responsible for the release of C-reactive protein and fibrinogen it appears. Other things that increase the release of C-reactive protein and fibrinogen include cigarette smoking, high saturated fat diet, lack of exercise, excess alcohol, estrogen replacement therapy and obesity. In addition to dental care, other ways to lower C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels include better fitness, weight loss, smoking cessagion, limiting alcohol intake and supplementation with certain antioxidants, curcumin, quercetin and essential fatty acids.

As heart and vascular disease is the leading cause of death in our soceity, in addition to the nutrition, exercise and supplementation practices I highlight at www.meschinohealth.com, be sure to have your teeth cleaned 3 times per year, along with regular dental check ups. I just love my dentist and hygienist, by the way. They are absolutely super. One final comment, you can now watch all my videos on natural ways to lower cholesterol on our youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB149FE91132696EB&feature=plcp . Check them out if you get a chance.

Be Sociable, Share!

•