Friday, September 26, 2008

Healthy Teeth, Healthy Heart


It is frequently said that one part of your body is related to other parts. Reflexology specialists have always said that pressure points in the feet can relate to head aches, migraines and other pains in the body. Research has now found that your teeth are connected to your heart.

People that regularly visit their local dental practice and take good care of their teeth are less likely to have heart problems like cardiovascular disease. The discovery was made by Professor Howard Jenkinson from the University of Bristol, with support from the Royal College of Surgeons. The research was looking into how blood cells are affected by bacteria when they stumbled upon the discovery.

Around 700 different types of bacteria can be found in the mouth. If you fail to use your electric toothbrush enough then you may suffer from poor dental hygiene. If you have bad dental hygiene you could end up with bleeding gums, gingivitis and other oral diseases which are attacked by the bacteria in your mouth. The bacteria then go into the blood stream and are known to be independent factors in causing heart disease. These independent risk factors for heart disease are a result of oral bacterial infections caused by bacteria like Streptococcus gordonii and Streptococcus sanguinis.

These findings now explain why some antibiotics fail to work in the treatment of heart disease. Professor Jenkinson and his team are collaborating with Dr Steve Kerringan in order to develop a solution to the problem. Until a cure is found it is recommended you take care of your teeth by brushing them regularly using an electric toothbrush. You will find tooth care products are widely available from tooth whitening products like crest white strips to traditional dental care like an electric toothbrush or dental floss.

No comments: