Studies have found that people with gum disease may also suffer from coronary heart disease and increase the risk of having a stroke. If you are worried about these conditions, your periodontist can work with both you and your cardiologist to make sure you receive the best care possible.

Research has shown a few links between heart disease, stroke, and periodontal disease, which include the following:

• Inflammation: One of the symptoms of periodontitis involves severe inflammation of the gums. When your gums swell, your white blood cell count and high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels elevate, which can increase the risk or worsen heart disease.
• Oral Bacteria Affecting the Heart: When bacteria from periodontitis are released into the bloodstream, they attach to the heart vessels and create a clot formation, which affects the functionality of the heart and enhances the risk of a heart attack.
• Infectious Susceptibility: If you have high levels of oral bacteria, you could have a very weak immune system, which can induce a vascular effect that can contribute to the formation of heart disease.

For more information on periodontal disease, heart disease, and stroke in Bakersfield, California, we invite you to call Dr. Andrew C. Dreyer’s office today and see if it is something you should be worried about. We are here to help in any way we can!