A Link Between Gum Disease and Heart Attack?
It is again surfacing in the news – how periodontal disease can affect your risk for heart disease.
The study, done in July 2007, on the association between periodontal disease and risk for coronary heart disease had some pretty scary conclusions. The study does support the epidemiologic association between periodontal disease and coronary heart disease. There is also preliminary data that confirms the two periodontal parameters, deep pockets and number of missing teeth, as important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
Even seniors who wear dentures must be diligent about mouth care. Factors affecting oral health as we get older include dry mouth, systemic diseases (diabetes and osteoporosis), medications, dexterity problems and estrogen deficiency.
Plaque build- up may be a cause of pneumonia, so heart disease may not be our only worry with regard to good oral care. In a study of 95 residents who were hospitalized for aspiration pneumonia, investigators found that the bacteriology associated with their disease could have come from the colonized dental plaque.
Recommendations for avoiding this problem are to brush twice a day, floss once a day, see your doctor regularly for routine checks and eat a balanced diet. For hospitalized and nursing home residents who cannot care for themselves, there are special oral care instructions to implement to care for the mouth to reduce the bacterial load. For example, comatose patients are given specific care to their oral and nasal passages to prevent asphyxia and to provide good mouth/oral care.
So, no matter what the age or state of health currently is, good oral mouth care is a necessity and is possible to do on a daily basis. If problems are encountered with maintaining good oral care on a patient, consult a dentist, oral/speech pathologist, dietitian, or other specialized health professional that can assist you in developing a good oral mouth care program.
About the author
Kathy Shattler received her Master of Science degree from Michigan State University in E. Lansing Michigan in Human Nutrition. Her twenty-two years of practice includes holding positions as a Lecturer, Chief Clinical Dietitian and Program Manager. Kathy is the Founder of Nutri-Care Consulting and is currently the Nutrition Director of www.CEU4U.COM, an online continuing education management company for Registered Dietitians and Dietetic Technicians.
