The Mouth-Heart Connection: How Your Oral Health Impacts Your Heart

“For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” -Luke 6:45

As someone who keeps up with your primary care provider at least annually to check in with your health to stay whole, we can only guess you also visit your dentist twice a year to get your teeth cleaned and check for any issues that need to be addressed, like cavities.

If you’re already on top of your oral health, kudos for a job well done and keep up the good work. If some years you put your oral health on the back burner, we’re here with a good reason why you should prioritize your oral health: Did you know that your oral health is intricately connected to your heart health?

Keep reading to learn more about the mouth-heart connection and steps you can take to keep them both healthy.

How Oral Health Affects Your Heart

Studies show that the state of your oral health directly influences your cardiovascular disease risk. Why are oral health and heart disease connected? Some theories include:

1. The bacteria that cause gingivitis and periodontitis also travel to blood vessels in other parts of the body where they cause blood vessel inflammation and damage; tiny blood clots may form, increasing the risk for heart attack and stroke.
2. Rather than bacteria causing the problem, it's inflammation that sets off a cascade of vascular damage throughout the body, including the heart and brain.
3. Gum disease and cardiovascular risk occurring together could also be due to one or more overlapping risk factors for both conditions, such as smoking, poor diet, lack of access to health care and dental care and not enough exercise. Genetic predisposition to these conditions and inflammation in the body can also play a role.

That said, continue with your healthy lifestyle by refraining from tobacco use, eating a variety of nutritious foods every day, staying active and keeping up with your annual primary care visits and biannual dentist visits.

The Mouth-Heart Connection: What You Need to Know

Just as your oral health influences your heart health, your daily habits influence your whole health, including the state of your mouth and heart.

Here are some handy tips from the American Heart Association that we recommend you should follow as part of your dental hygiene heart health routine:

• Avoid smoking and tobacco use, such as dipping and chewing tobacco, cigarettes, vaping or hookah, as they can affect gums and increase the risk of heart disease.
• Brush at least twice a day and floss at least once a day to remove plaque-forming bacteria.
• Eat a healthy diet rich in essential nutrients and reduce intake of refined carbohydrates like added sugars and processed grain foods.
• Share your medical history with your dentist, including current conditions and any recent behavior changes in oral health care routines or new oral health symptoms.
• Talk to your dentist about recommendations to ensure your care is tailored to your health needs.
• Talk to your dentist and doctor or other health care professionals (your total health care team) about the connection between oral health and the health of your body.
• Take your medications as prescribed and discuss the side effects of any medications, over the counter or prescribed, with your total health care team.

Your Heart Is in the Right Place

Given the sensitive link between your periodontal health and heart, it’s important to keep your healthy lifestyle choices top of mind and check in with your dentist and doctor regularly and whenever you need them.

If you have concerns about your cardiovascular health, you can visit us here to schedule an appointment. We’re always here to help you live more wholly and fully.