Savvy Senior

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Dear Savvy Senior,

My doctor is now acting like my dentist. The last time I went in for a visit he was telling me about gum disease and decay and how it can cause other kinds of serious health problems. I’m 56 years old and I’ve never been that loyal to flossing, but now I’m starting to worry. What is this about, and what does my mouth have to do with my heart? Down

Dear Down

Your doctor’s right! In fact, many doctors believe that the best way to evaluate a persons’ general health is first look in their mouth. Studies increasingly show a link between gum disease, otherwise known as periodontal disease, to a variety of health problems including heart disease and stroke.

Gum Disease

Early gum disease starts with plaque, the invisible, sticky film of bacteria that sets up house on your tooth enamel. As plaque hardens into tartar, it attracts more than 350 possible varieties of bacteria. As bacteria-rich tartar travels below the gumline, a more advanced gum disease called periodontitis begins (infection of the gum, bone, and other tissue surrounding the tooth).

Some researchers believe that periodontal disease is hard on the heart because the bacteria from chronic oral infection can spread through the blood stream and contribute to disease in the heart and other parts of the body. Other researchers believe that chronic gum infections may trigger a chain of chemical events that causes inflammation and swelling throughout the body, which can cause blood clots, leading to a heart attack or stroke.

Health Connections

Studies have found that people who have periodontal disease are nearly twice as likely to suffer from heart disease as those who don’t. Other ailments linked to gum disease include:

• Stroke: University of Buffalo researchers studied the health histories of nearly 10,000 people be-tween the ages of 25 and 75, and found that the 35 percent who had severe gum disease were twice as likely to have suffered a severe stroke.

• Diabetes: While periodontal disease doesn’t di-rectly cause diabetes, it can make managing the disease much more difficult. The bacterial infection caused by periodontal disease upsets a diabetic’s blood sugar levels, which can result in diabetic complications such as blindness, heart problems and kidney disease.

• Ulcers: Some stomach ulcers are believed to be linked to periodontal disease. Bacteria from the teeth can migrate to the stomach, where it “eats” small holes in the stomach’s lining.

• Pheumonia: Bacteria that reside in plaque is inhaled into your lungs each time you draw a breath which can cause respiratory disease.

Public Health Concern

More than one-third of all Americans (about 108 million) don’t have dental insurance. That’s two and a half times that number who don’t have medical insurance. Making matters worse is the fact that the aging baby boomers, many who have employee-based dental benefits, are about to retire and collide with a Medicare system that doesn’t cover routine dental care.

Oral Health Habits

Good oral hygiene is the best way to keep your mouth and your bloodstream free of plaque. Here are some things to remember.

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste

• Floss daily

• Don’t skip routine dental care

• Don’t smoke

• Watch your diet and go easy on sweets.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior.org.