New Study Supports Link Between Gum Disease And Heart Disease
A new study supports a link between poor oral health and medical problems; the study suggests that tooth loss and gum disease increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes, adding to a growing body of evidence.
Swedish researchers have suggested that tooth loss increased the risk of heart disease and diabetes, with each missing tooth further increasing the risk. In the first study of its kind, researchers from Uppsala University, Sweden, found that missing teeth increased the levels of an enzyme, which was found to increase the risk of inflammation and hardening in the arteries.
Researchers also found that for every missing tooth, the risk increased, with new risk factors introduced, including high blood pressure, ‘bad’ cholesterol and the circumference of the waist. Patients with fewer teeth were also more likely to suffer from diabetes, with each tooth lost increasing the risk of the condition by 11 per cent.
Professor Robin Seymour, member of the Simplyhealth Advisory Research Panel, said that several studies have linked heart and oral health, but there is little research to data available from patients who have already been diagnosed with heart disease and it remains unclear how gum disease affects heart health.
Despite the lack of data, Professor Seymour said that it was evident that people can reduce their risk of developing periodontal (gum) disease by visiting their dentist for regular dental check-ups, ideally every six months.
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