As reported in BG News: Flossing has its dental benefits preventing gingivitis and other gum diseases, but a recent study published in "Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association" looked at the link between the mouth and chronic diseases.

Faith Yingling, director of Wellness, said the study found people with higher blood levels of specific disease-causing bacteria in the mouth were more likely to experience hardening of the arteries in the carotid artery in the neck.

"Atherosclerosis, also called 'hardening of the arteries,' develops when deposits of fats and other substances in your blood begin to stick to the sides of your arteries. These deposits, called plaques, can build up and narrow your arteries, clogging them like a plugged-up drain," Yingling said. "If these plaques ever block the blood flow completely, you could have a heart attack or stroke, depending on the location of the blockage."

Bacteria from the mouth can enter the bloodstream through the gums and this has been found among artery plaque, which directly contributes to arterial blockage.  

They found it reasonable to think that uncontrolled periodontal disease can increase the risk of CVD. The same germs which cause gum disease show up in the plaques found in arteries, and the same mechanisms of inflammation are at work in both diseases. They recommended that patients with periodontal disease also consider a medical evaluation for CVD, and that patients with hypertension or other signs of CVD consider a periodontal examination.  This is a follow-up to the earlier research noted below.

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Oral Inflammation and General Health - Inflammation is a natural and generally protective response of our bodies to an irritant.  It is responsible for much of the redness and swelling seen, for example, around a minor insect bite or small cut as the body rushes reparative cells to the area.  Inflammation can become chronic if the irritation persists over time.

Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums caused by bacteria, and periodontal disease has both acute and chronic phases of inflammation.  There is evidence that periodontal disease causes increased systemic inflammation.

Medical researchers are focusing on the links between various diseases.  Inflammation caused by one disease may complicate the course of other systemic diseases. Cardiologists and endocrinologists suspect that uncontrolled periodontal disease is a complicating factor in diabetes and atherosclerosis.  We need to wait for further studies to be sure, but wouldn't it be nice if improvements in our oral health also improved our general health!