{"id":52,"date":"2014-02-11T21:35:00","date_gmt":"2014-02-11T21:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.smilebydesignva.com\/2014\/02\/11\/oral-health-and-health-of-your-hear\/"},"modified":"2014-02-11T21:35:00","modified_gmt":"2014-02-11T21:35:00","slug":"oral-health-and-health-of-your-hear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smilebydesignva.com\/blog\/oral-health-and-health-of-your-hear\/","title":{"rendered":"Oral Health and the Health of Your Heart"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/div>\n
In just a few days, couples across the country will be
\ncelebrating Valentine\u2019s Day<\/b>. Given
\nhow much the heart figures into Valentine\u2019s cards, candy and decorations, now
\nseems like a good time to make you aware of the connection between your oral
\nhealth\u2014and specifically gum disease<\/b>\u2014and
\nyour overall health. Are you surprised to hear that there\u2019s a connection at
\nall? Many people don\u2019t realize that one exists, but according to recent data,
\nit does.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Gum disease<\/b>
\nstarts with the accumulation of bacteria and plaque around the gum line. Over
\ntime, as these two irritate the mouth\u2019s soft tissues, an infection will develop,
\nresulting in symptoms like bleeding, sensitivity, swelling and more. Given enough
\ntime, gum disease<\/b> creates pockets
\nbetween the teeth and gum line. From these pockets bacteria and plaque can gain
\naccess to the body\u2019s bloodstream, traveling to, among other places, the heart,
\nwhere they can contribute to clotting and even heart attacks.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Gum disease<\/b> has
\nalso been linked to other
\nkinds of health problems<\/a>, including:<\/div>\n