Bleeding Gums Boost Heart Attack Risk

by Sreeraman on  September 12, 2008 at 6:01 PM Dental News
  •   Print
  •   Share
  •   Comments
  •  Text 
Poor dental hygiene and bleeding gums can put you at an increased risk of suffering a heart attack, according to a new research.

According to the study, which was presented at the Society for General Microbiology's Autumn meeting, revealed that people with poor dental hygiene and those who don't brush their teeth regularly end up with bleeding gums, which provide an entry to the bloodstream for up to 700 different types of bacteria found in our mouths.

As a result, the risk of having a heart attack increases, according to microbiologists from the University of Bristol and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

"The mouth is probably the dirtiest place in the human body," said Dr Steve Kerrigan from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland.

"If you have an open blood vessel from bleeding gums, bacteria will gain entry to your bloodstream.

"When bacteria get into the bloodstream they encounter tiny fragments called platelets that clot blood when you get a cut. By sticking to the platelets bacteria cause them to clot inside the blood vessel, partially blocking it. This prevents the blood flow back to the heart and we run the risk of suffering a heart attack," he said.

The only treatment for this type of disease is aggressive antibiotic therapy, but with the increasing problem of multiple drug resistant bacteria, this option is becoming short lived.

Source-ANI
SRM

 Email Email   RSS Feeds RSS Feeds   Print this page Print   Save this page Save   Link Link   Syndicate Syndicate   Comments Comments   Bookmark and Share
 
Comment & Contribute
Comments should be on the topic and should not be abusive. Comments are normally moderated and are reviewed after they are posted.
* Your comment can be maximum of 2500 characters

Notify me when reply is posted
I agree to the terms and conditions
  
If you have a question about health related issues, you can now post it in our Ask An Expert section on our community website Medwonders.com and get answers from our panel of experts.
X

Medwonders Health Network

  • Health News Index
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
News Archive
Date :
Category :
Keyword :
Quiz on Heart
A quiz on heart to learn more about its functions.
  • News Quick Links
News Central Health Watch
Latest Health News Health In Focus
News Category (500+) Breaking Health News
Popular News Celebrating Life
Health News and Press Release Medindia - Exclusive
News Photo Gallery India Special
News Video Gallery Lifestyle and Wellness
News From Other Resources
Bleeding Gums
Complete Medindia Resources
News Categories:  
Teen's Health Center

Dental Related News

» Most People Don't Brush Their Teeth Effectively to Prevent Tooth Decay » Next-Gen Dental Filling Not Only Fills Up Cavity, but also Regenerates Tooth
» Sports and Energy Drinks Cause Permanent Tooth Damage » Increased Dietary Calcium Intake Could Help Solve Widespread Dental Problems in Ethiopia
» IADR/AADR Propose New Classification for Severe, Early Childhood Caries » Association Between Oral Health and Heart Health
» Gum Disease in Elderly Linked to Low Protein Levels » Study Warns of Killer Bugs in Dentures
Read More >>