Could it really be true that a toothbrush could help to prevent heart disease ? Not only this but also diabetes, dementia and low birthweight and preterm babies.
Most definitely, Yes.
How could this be true ?
The bacteria that proliferate in your mouth are both good and bad, but generally live in a symbiotic arrangement whereby the balance is kept in check . These bacteria are living and breathing, reproducing and putting out waste products, just like any other living organism. The waste products that they produce are acids ( that eat into the tooth and cause decay) toxins and gases which all collect in a product called biofilm ( plaque) which is a collection of these products along with dead and living bacteria. The acids, toxins and gasses are irritating to the soft tissues in the mouth, especially the gums, where it tucks down out of sight where the tooth meets the gum and there is a little cuff of gum around the tooth that is warm and moist. Just the environment that bacteria love, where they can remain protected and sheltered and can live and breed unchecked whilst also putting out more waste products. These waste products irritate the gum which becomes red and inflamed, shiny and smooth and may bleed easily when touched or brushed. This is an indication of gum disease or gingivitis. If the plaque is effectively removed frequently there is little chance for inflammation and infection and gums resilience is sufficient to overcome the infection.
However, ineffective removal of the bacterial plaque around the gum margins causes the infection to become established and frequent gum bleeding may be noticed. This infection although very minimal to start with sets off an inflammatory response in the body that is like opening the flood gates. The irritated gums become puffy and swollen with enlarged blood vessels providing a greater surface area for the bacteria to infect, a fluid is produced by the gums to start to fight the infection and the blood vessels break open ( seen with gum bleeding ) allowing bacteria into the blood stream .
The body has already started to fight the infection by setting off its immune response , which sets of a chain reaction and although it apparently would seem to be a minimal problem , the surface area of gum that is inflamed may be similar is size to the palm of your hand.
Just imagine have infected tissue the size of your hand ? You would likely require antibiotics and bandages. However, most of us allow bleeding gums to continue for years unchecked and it goes on for so long that we consider it normal.
Meanwhile the heart and other organs are living in a state of constant inflammation because of one part of the body that is under daily bombardment from bacteria that are not being well controlled . If this state of chronic inflammation continues for years, the damage from bacterial load is constant and being in this state is far from healthy. This is one of the reasons why chronic gum disease often goes hand in hand with heart disease, diabetes, dementia, low birth weight and pre-term babies to name just a few health problems, but the list goes on.
So, by taking extra care of the mouth, we can protect our heart and avoid a lot of others complications.
If you are not sure where to start, see your dentist or hygienist for oral care and advice. It could be that it might save your life.
And save you from this ......
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