Heart Disease and Oral health: The Connection

Did you know that your oral health is much more intimately connected than you think? There is now evidence between oral health and heart disease connections. New studies have shown that for those with mild to moderate gum disease, they may be at risk for heart disease compared to those with healthy gums. Oral healthcare does provide warning signs for a variety of conditions and diseases too, including those in the heart. 

So can Bad teeth really cause heart Problems? 

Yes, it can. This is because of the bacteria and germ spread that happens from the mouth to various other parts of the body, entering via the bloodstream. When they reach the heart, they’ll attach to damaged areas, creating inflation. Of course, according to the mayo clinic, this may result in endocarditis, which is an infection involving the inner lining parts of the heart. It can also cause a risk of atherosclerosis to form, along with stroke, both of which are linked by oral bacteria. 

Who’s at Risk? 

Those with chronic gum conditions, including periodontitis and gingivitis, are at a higher risk for heart disease due to bad oral health. This is especially true if it remains unmanaged and undiagnosed.  The bacteria that’s associated directly with oral infections does enter the bloodstream. It attaches to the blood vessels, increasing one’s risk for heart disease. 

Even if one doesn’t have noticeable inflation, good oral hygiene is something that can help with reducing the amount of biofilm that shows up, and also reduces your heart disease risk even more. 

Bacteria does move, and it can go to the bloodstream. This causes the C reactive protein, which marks inflammation for one’s blood vessels, to increase.

 

Yes, this can increase your risk for stroke, depending upon who you are. 

Signs, Symptoms and Prevention 

So what should you look out for if you may be at risk for this? 

Well, if you’ have gum disease, especially in its early stages, which puts you at risk for heart disease. 

Some other signs include: 

• Red, swollen gums that are sore to touch 

• They bleed when you brush, eat or floss your teeth. 

• There’s pus, or other infection signs around the teeth and gums 

• They’re pulling away from the teeth. 

• You’ve got bad breath, or bad taste in your mouth. 

• You have teeth that are loose, or feel like they’re moving away from the other teeth too 

Now that you know abut this, how can you prevent it? 

Well, the best way is oral hygiene.  Protecting your teeth and practicing good oral hygiene prevents the brunt of this. 

Brushing your teeth twice daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush that fits within the mouth is your first place to start. This helps keep the teeth surfaces adequately brushed.

Also, use an ADA-certified toothpaste proven as well by many to increase one’s gum health in about four weeks. 

Finally, make sure that you floss daily, and also see your dental hygienist to get regular cleanings, especially if you need it. 

When you take care of your oral health, you help your body health, and you also protect yourself from developing these heart-body connections, including heart disease and other such problems.  You’ll be able to keep the smile clean, healthy, and even beautiful, throughout all parts of your life. 

Your oral health does matter, and for a lot of people, there are a lot of great ways to make your oral health really shine. The best way to prevent bad things is to be proactive, so do something about this right away. 

Titanium Implant Allergies

One thing that happens when you damage your teeth, is the replacement option. Dental implants are one of these, and it’s a great way to replace them. That's because it feels and looks like an actual tooth.But what happens if the body rejects this, and also what might happen next? Implants are made with a metal alloy, and in a few cases, people do get allergies from the titanium in there and you’ll be able to recognize the symptoms and get a diagnosis from the dentist. 

What implants Are 

Implants are essentially a replacement for the tooth. It’s inserted into the jawbone in a screw or cylinder one.  It won’t make noise or slip, and then, an abutment joins the implant and the crown together.

 Once the surgery is finished, crowns get put on part of the implant, and further protrude through one’s gumline. 

Usually, dental implant surgery is something that takes some time to heal. It takes longer if you’re removing the tooth that’s damaged, struggling with bone grafting, and also the placement of the crown and the rest of it.  Once this is placed, then you just have to practice proper oral hygiene in order to heal that area. This does take a long time, especially months. 

Implant Rejection 

While titanium causes a lot fewer problems compared to other types of metals, there’s the allergy factor some people struggle with. 

The International Journal of Implant Dentistry notes that the corrosion and wear that happens with these implants can happen when the titanium alloy gets put into the tissues surrounding it.  

It can cause inflammatory reactions, bone loss, or even hypersensitivity that can create implant failure. 

How does one know if they have an implant allergy though? 

It usually involves the following: 

• Skin redness around the implant area 

• Hives on the skin and the surface of the gum. 

• Eczema and itching of the gums and skin. 

• Pain and swelling 

• Tissues and cell death around your implant 

• Yellow nail syndrome or other toxic reactions (this also does affect the airways and lungs) 

• Bone loss 

If this does happen, don’t wait, and contact the dentist right away! 

Diagnosis of the Allergy 

Most of the time, dental professionals may look at the mouth and the implant site.  They also may do diagnostic types of tests like the patch test to figure out where the allergy is happening. 

They may also use in vitro blood tests so that you can get a feel for the metal allergy. There is also the lymphocyte transformation test and the lymphocyte migration inhibition test to help you get a feel for the allergy to the area and the sites. 

They also may look at whether it’s an allergy or something else. 

If there is an allergy, they might use zirconia instead. However, due to the lack of long-term data, the professional may look to other options. 

Noticing that you might be allergic to the implant can be overwhelming and disappointing. But the cool thing about this, is that there are many new evolutions to implants that you can use, and plenty of options to choose from. Dental professionals will help you treat this allergy, ensuring that the gap within the mouth and the treatments are ideal for you. 

The sooner you do this the better, especially since it can cause issues with the body, and there is a strong chance that it could impact your health on other levels. You don't want that, right? 

Then start taking care of this right away, and start changing out the titanium implants, especially if you’re worried about the potential effects.

What causes Submandibular Gland Swelling

Most people know what salivary glands are, and they usually aren’t something that we think about. But if something goes awry, then we’ll notice this quickly. Our salivary glands are used to chew, swallow, speak to others, and also wash out the food that’s on our teeth. The submandibular gland swelling is associated with infection, dry mouth, and most other conditions. Burt, most of the causes of this are easy to treat. 

What the Submandibular glands are 

They’re basically two walnut-sized glands on each part of your face, right in front of the curve near the lower jaw, at the back part of the mouth. Along with the salivary glands, the glands here provide saliva, which contain different enzymes that’ll break down minerals and food, reducing the damage of acids and food on the enamel of the tooth. Saliva also makes food that you chew nice and wet, along with easy for you to swallow too. 

Causes of the Swelling 

If you feel some kind of swelling under the lower portion of the jaw, this could be known as swollen submandibular glands. Swollen glands are caused usually by small stones that block the ducts, and those that channel saliva into the mouth. These stones can be made through saliva, especially when you’re dehydrated. 

When stones block salivary glands, this is known as sialolithiasis, which is where you have pain and swelling in that gland.  While not totally known, this is associated with gout and liver disease. 

According to The Journal of Medical research, sialolithiasis is one of the most common types of salivary gland diseases, and the submandibular gland is usually affected in about 83% of different cases. 

The infections usually come from ducts that are blocked.  In most of these cases, the swelling is accompanied by pus and redness too. 

Salivary gland swelling also happens when you have a tumor.  This can be caused by both non cancerous and cancerous tumors, and the glands might be firmer due to this infection. 

Cancerous tumors tend to be much harder to fix and they usually are stuck to the tissue of the gland. However, tumors that aren’t cancerous might be removable. 

Talk to your dentist if you have this, so that you can get an effective treatment. 

The Treatment  for Swollen Salivary Glands 

The treatment does vary based on the severity of this. earl/y treatment will save you from developing infections. 

According to the national health service, you do want to increase the production of saliva through chewing gum and drinking tons of water. You can also massage the stone in order to dislodge this. 

If you can’t treat this at home, push the stone out through the submandibular gland, at your doctor’s office, and they use a small instrument to do this. In the rare case that it’s stuck, they may need to use surgery to get this out. If you do have a condition that causes you to develop this, getting treatment early will help with reducing the risk of developing this. 

If you do have an infection here, a doctor can prescribe some kinds of antibiotics, and also get any pus joust, especially if there is an abscess. Swelling caused by tumors, however, must be treated with surgery. Cancerous tumors need to be treated right away and do require minoring. If it’s painful, you can use a warm compress on the gland area directly, and also rinse out the mouth with water in order to help with the discomfort. Overall, make sure that you watch your water, and avoid smoking to prevent this formation.