Miami dentists are urged to identify and treat periodontitis cases as soon as possible to lessen the risk of heart disease.  This holistic concern has risen in the wake of recent scientific inquiries into the long known correlation between gum disease and heart disease.

The heart and mouth share relatively little physical proximity in the human body.  While both are instrumental in the breakdown and delivery of both oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, each has conventionally been thought of as exclusive and to have little affect on the other.  Recent studies conducted at the University of Minnesota, however, have identified bacteria that link periodontitis, a common gum disease resulting from poor oral hygiene, to the blood clots that cause Coronary Heart Disease.

Mark Herzberg, Professor at the University of Minnesota, addressed the 150th meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science with the declaration “now we show a potential biological reason [for the correlation].”  Professor Herzberg’s studies originated as a follow-up to several alarming studies conducted in the 1990s that showed those with periodontitis were twice as likely to develop Coronary Heart Disease.

The correlation between periodontal and heart disease, as linked by Professor Herzberg’s study, is most likely causal.  Using rabbits, proven models for testing human heart disease hypotheses, Herzberg and his colleagues were able to show that dental plaque’s bacteria caused blood clots within minutes of being released into the bloodstream.  The chronic inflammation that this plaque causes in the gums is further conjectured to cause the very same swelling that leads to the build-up of plaque in arteries.  These swollen and constricted arteries, in turn, lead to heart disease.

The link between periodontal disease and heart disease has been further supported by recent studies at the University of Kiel in Germany.  As research mounts, both doctors and dental professionals urge adults to schedule regular examinations to catch either disease as early as possible.

Dental professionals recommend adults brush and floss daily to rid their teeth of the plaque that daily food consumption leaves embedded in their teeth and gums.  This plaque provides an environment for bacteria—like the bacteria that has been increasingly linked to heart disease—to live, grow, and reproduce.

In light of these recent worldwide research findings, it is more important than ever for adults to recognize the interconnectivity of the human body.  Like a pocket watch, the human body is comprised of several finely tuned pieces that flow into one another.  No piece can turn, tick, or move without affecting another piece of the complex infrastructure that comprises the human body.

At Assure a Smile, Miami’s leading holistic dental practice, this assertion of bodily interconnectivity is placed at the forefront of patient interaction.  Great strides are taken to ensure each patient is educated in how the body is connected mentally and physically, as well as how such connections manifest themselves.  Scheduling an appointment with Miami dentist Ted Herrmann is the first of many steps in a journey holistic education and self-discovery.  Young adults ages twenty to thirty are passionately encouraged to consider the holistic nature of the human body as well.  With Assure a Smile offering a special new patient cleaning and consultation for only $199, now is the perfect time to experience holistic dentistry.

Like periodontal disease, most diseases can be cured or their risk minimized by early identification and treatment.  Early identification, however, hinges on the ability for both physician and patient to understand the causal, interconnectivity of each piece of the human body, down to the most minute of cells.