Heart Attack and Preiodontal Health

The literature and news reports continue to be flooded with studies relating the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease and periodontal disease. The general consensus has been that there is a link but there is no conclusive evidence to date. At the annual meeting of the AHA (American Heart Association) meeting in 2011 a study by Chen and Leu was presented investigating  the link between preventive dentistry and cardiovascular risk reduction.  The study involved approximately 51,000 subjects with no history of myocardial infarction or stroke and had received mouth scaling and compared them with 51,000 with the same history but with no mouth scaling.  During an average follow up of 7 years, it was found that those that had received mouth scaling had a 24% lower risk of heart attack and a 13% lower risk of stroke compared to the no scaling group. It seems to me that regardless of direct scientific proof, a healthier mouth will consistently coincide with a healthier body.

If you are behind on your cleaning and check up, give us a call to get scheduled for a healthier you!