Dr. Maciej Malinski is on the medical staff at Sherman Hospital. He has been kind enough to answer some frequently asked questions related to maintaining a healthy heart. Look for additional heart information from Dr. Malinski in the coming weeks.
Q: What is periodontal disease? Is it related to the gums? Can it affect my heart?
Yes, periodontal disease (P.D.) is essentially a disease of the gums. Periodontitis is an infection of tooth-supporting tissues (gums), which is highly prevalent today. Studies have shown that P.D. is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and several other systemic diseases. Chronic periodontitis is thought to have an important systemic impact.
Periodontitis is associated with increased risk of systemic diseases driven by a persistent low-grade systemic inflammation. Current evidence suggests that periodontitis is associated with an increased likelihood of coronary heart disease (narrowing of the arterial vessels in the heart causing angina or heart attacks), and may influence the severity of diabetes. Intensive periodontal treatment reduces systemic inflammatory markers. Systolic blood pressure improves lipid profiles with subsequent changes in cardiovascular risk when compared to standard therapy.
Health education to encourage better oral health should be considered as part of current healthy lifestyle messages designed to reduce the increasing health burden of obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Do you have a question for Dr. Malinski? To submit your question, either post it in the comments section below or email krystin@shermanhealth.com with the subject line “Question for Dr. Malinski.” For more information on heart health, click here to visit Sherman’s Heart and Vascular Center.
This post is published by Sherman Health to provide general health information. It is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained directly from your physician.
