Avoid the dentist? Then heart disease might visit you
This entry was posted on 12/30/2007 3:01 PM and is filed under ARTICLES.
By Beth Phillips Morris News Service
The buzz of a dentist's tools send chills down the backs of most Americans.
But dentists agree the best way to prevent a painful, costly experience at the dentist's office is to keep regular oral checkup and cleaning schedules.
Plus, dentists have long known the connection between the mouth and the body, according to the American Dental Association.
For example, there's evidence that diabetics are more likely to develop gum disease than non-diabetics. Gum disease also has been linked to heart disease and stroke.
Other research suggests that pregnant women with advanced gum disease are at an increased risk for delivering pre-term babies or babies with low birth weight, according to the ADA. It is for these reasons that people must take care of their teeth and gums, said Dr. Thomas Ashdown, dental administrator with Covenant Community Services in Lubbock, Texas.
"The mouth is the portal to the whole body, and if you've got an infection in the mouth, it can be transferred to the whole body," he said. "Just as seeing their physician is important ... even more so dental problems need to be addressed at an early stage."
Fifty percent of people do not come to the dentist unless they are in pain, Ashdown said. ..
