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Why do I care about my oral hygiene? Because it may save your life.
By Christina | May 22, 2008
I had a baby six months ago and at one of the doctor visits I kissed my baby on the mouth. The doctor quickly let me know that was a no-no. She saw my confusion as to why that would be an issue she needed to comment on and she explained that the bacteria in an adults mouth was enough to cause disease to a baby. This is what led to this blog entry as I figured if I am curious about the topic, someone else might be as well.
It turns out that the mouth has bacteria that can actually lead to heart attack! Thankfully the risk of heart attack from not cleaning our mouths well isn’t as high as the risk of heart disease from diabetes, smoking, hypertension, and high cholesterol. However it is equal to the effects of long-term use of Bextra® and Vioxx® (pain drugs that were removed from the market in large part because they were associated with a small increase in heart attack risk). That should be enough reason for everyone to take good care of their oral hygiene and be cautious about spreading the bacteria.
The evidence also suggests that periodontitis might contribute to pregnancy complications. Some studies show an increased risk of premature birth and low weight for babies born to others with periodontitis. There is a logical explanation for why heart attacks and pregnancy complications could be related to periodontal disease. Blood tests in people with periodontitis show increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a substance that has gotten a lot of attention in recent years as a possible predictor of heart attack, stroke, cancer, and a variety of other serious health problems.
I don’t know if I will stop kissing my baby on her mouth but I have increased the attention I give to my oral health.
Topics: General |
