{"id":68,"date":"2021-02-24T15:26:27","date_gmt":"2021-02-24T15:26:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pacedental.com\/blog\/?p=68"},"modified":"2021-02-24T15:26:27","modified_gmt":"2021-02-24T15:26:27","slug":"american-heart-month-preventing-gum-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/american-heart-month-preventing-gum-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"How You Can Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease by Taking Care of Your Smile"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/AdobeStock_255912251__1614176400_43734-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"man holding a red paper heart to his chest for American Heart Month \" class=\"wp-image-69\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/AdobeStock_255912251__1614176400_43734-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/AdobeStock_255912251__1614176400_43734-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/AdobeStock_255912251__1614176400_43734.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re like most people, you might believe that whenever\nyou visit your dentist for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacedental.com\/preventive-dentistry.html#checkups\">checkup<\/a>,\nthey\u2019re just looking to make sure you don\u2019t have any cavities. The truth is\nthey\u2019re checking for much more than that! Believe it or not, the health of your\nmouth impacts the health of the rest of your body. Oral health problems such as\ngum disease have even been shown to increase the risk of heart disease. Since\nFebruary is American Heart Month, now is a great time to learn how you can keep\nyour heart healthy by taking care of your smile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Your Oral Health Affects Your Heart <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Several studies have proven a link between common dental\nhealth issues and heart problems. In fact, the CDC estimates that 50% of\nAmerican adults currently have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacedental.com\/gum-disease-treatment.html\">gum disease<\/a>, a\nbacterial infection that attacks the gums and other structures that support the\nteeth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At first, you may only notice minor symptoms of gum disease,\nsuch as swollen gums or mild bleeding when you brush or floss. The early stage,\ncalled gingivitis, can often be reversed with diligent at-home oral hygiene. If\nit progresses into periodontitis, though, dangerous oral bacteria can accumulate\nand permanently damage your smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once these bacteria build up, they can spread throughout the\nbody. If they reach your heart, they may cause inflammation and swelling that\ncan increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other severe cardiovascular\nevents. That\u2019s why it\u2019s critical that you do your utmost to avoid gum disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tips for Preventing Gum Disease <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Keeping your heart healthy starts with caring for your\nsmile. Here are some helpful tips to do that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Visit your dentist twice a year<\/strong>. Every\nsix months, you should let your dentist examine your mouth for warning signs of\ngum disease. That way, you can treat the problem before it\u2019s too late.<\/li><li><strong>Reduce your sugar intake<\/strong>. Sugar fuels\ndestructive bacteria in your mouth, making it easier for them to wreak havoc. <\/li><li><strong>Take the time to floss<\/strong>. Flossing is the\nonly way to remove food debris, which could attract harmful bacteria, from\nbetween your teeth.<\/li><li><strong>Quit using tobacco products<\/strong>. Smoking or\nchewing tobacco can double or even triple your risk of gum disease. Ask your\ndentist or doctor for resources to help you quit. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>By following these simple tips, you\u2019ll be able to sleep easier\nat night knowing that you\u2019re doing your part to keep your smile and your heart\nhealthy! &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacedental.com\/meet-the-dentists.html\">Dr.\nAhmed Saad<\/a> has more than 15 years of experience in the dental field, ever\nsince earning his dental doctorate from the University of Southern California\nSchool of Dentistry. At Pace Dental in Vienna, VA, Dr. Saad prioritizes a preventive\napproach to oral healthcare, which is why he aims to educate patients on how they\ncan maintain healthy smiles at home. If gum disease does develop, he offers\ncomfortable treatment with a high-tech soft tissue laser. For more advice on\nkeeping your smile healthy, you can visit his&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacedental.com\/contact.html\">website<\/a>&nbsp;or give his\noffice a call at&nbsp;<strong>703-938-6800<\/strong>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re like most people, you might believe that whenever you visit your dentist for a checkup, they\u2019re just looking to make sure you don\u2019t have any cavities. The truth is they\u2019re checking for much more than that! Believe it or not, the health of your mouth impacts the health of the rest of your [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-68","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pacedental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}