Posts Tagged ‘heart disease’

Avoid decay and gum disease by visiting Central Leeds dentist

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Tooth decay and gum disease are still a major problem in the UK thanks to poor diet and insufficient standards of oral hygiene. While many people do not see their dental health as all that important, decay and disease can have significant consequences for your overall health.

Gum disease has been strongly linked to heart diseases. Infections which start in the gum tissue infiltrate the blood stream and are transported to the areas around the heart. This can cause blockages in the arteries, which can cause serious cardiac problems including heart attacks. Gum disease can also be very painful and if allowed to progress can need treatment ranging from antibiotics, tissue removal and even hospitalisation.

Tooth decay, which like gum disease is caused by plaque releasing acid, can also be incredibly painful and nasty. Decay can lead to infection which destroys the very sensitive dental nerve and cause painful abscesses. Theses abscesses can burst releasing infected material into the mouth where it can damage other teeth and enter the bloodstream causing further complications.

Both tooth decay and gum disease can be prevented by more effective cleaning and being aware of what you are eating. Effective brushing and flossing, combined with regular trips to a Central Leeds dentist can help to keep your teeth and gums clean, healthy and free from disease.

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Dental phobia sufferers face their fears with help from City of Leeds dentist

Saturday, January 16th, 2010

1850411_blogLike all phobias, dental phobia can cause a person to completely avoid the stimulus. If you happen to have a phobia of spiders then you are unlikely to suffer health consequences as a result, but avoiding the dentist for years or even a whole lifetime can have any number of serious health effects. With the growing evidence of the links between heart disease and gum disease, it is more important than ever to receive the necessary dental treatment no matter how much it frightens you.

Dental phobia is surprisingly common in the UK. It is a more serious version of dental anxiety that nearly 80 per cent of people admit to having at some point. Most people are able to overcome their anxiety about the dentist as they balance the fear with the necessity of treatment, but for sufferers of phobia this is impossible. Or perhaps not. More and more patients with dental phobia are receiving much needed treatment as dentists develop new ways to make treatment easier. Dentists are receiving more training in how to deal with nervous patients and ideas such as aromatherapy and self-hypnosis prior to treatment are becoming more and more common.

Studies have also shown that this approach actually works with lavender oil being proven to calm nerves before an appointment. Other dentists are offering anxious patients the chance to talk through their fears in an effort to reassure them that they have nothing to worry about. And importantly, advances in technology have made many treatments a lot more comfortable and a lot less frightening. City of Leeds dentists are doing all they can to help anxious patients through the difficult first steps of facing their fears.

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Oral health treatment at City of Leeds dentist helps overall health

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

Just as the eyes are the window to the soul, the mouth is the window to the rest of your body. Conditions in the mouth can speak volumes about the overall health of the body. The health of your body and the health of your mouth are a lot more connected than you may think.

The connection between the two is a two way process as often the first sign of a health condition will be noticed in the mouth, conversely oral health conditions can also have an effect on the whole body.

The human mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria as the moist and warm conditions are perfect for them to thrive. It is possible to keep these bacteria under control with an effective oral health regime, including daily brushing and flossing. Saliva production is also key to a healthy mouth but sometimes these defences may not be enough or are not working well enough to prevent the growth of bacteria. This can cause gum disease, which in severe cases is known as periodontitis, which results in dangerous infections being released into the blood stream through the oral cavity. These oral infections have a strong link to heart disease as they can cause a narrowing of the arteries putting pressure on the heart. Further research indicates that these infections can have damaging effects on other areas of the body.

Other conditions that occur in the body can also be noticed in the mouth which can lead to a quicker diagnosis. City of Leeds dentists are trained to treat oral health conditions and spot the signs of wider health problems occurring in the mouth. So regular dental check ups could benefit the health of more than just your teeth.

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Central Leeds dentist breaks link between gum disease and heart disease

Sunday, January 3rd, 2010

There has always been a suspected link between heart disease and gum disease but the evidence of recent studies has seemingly conclusively proved this connection. Patients with bad cases of gum disease were twice as likely to suffer from serious heart conditions, so cleaning your teeth and having healthy gums really could save your life.

The link between gum disease and heart disease comes from the transfer of the oral infection into the blood stream. Once this infection has spread into the blood vessels it can cause them to narrow putting enormous pressure on the heart, as it then has to work harder to pump blood around the body. In mild cases this can cause high blood pressure but if the heart becomes so overworked it can suffer a potentially fatal attack.

Gum disease is caused by a lack of proper oral hygiene in the mouth. Poor or ineffective oral hygiene allows bacteria to build up and form plaque. This filmy substance clings to the teeth and gums releasing damaging acids that break down tooth enamel and cause gum tissue to swell and become painful. In more serious cases of gum disease, known as periodontitis, gum tissue can become so infected that it bleeds and spreads the infection around the body. It also causes gum tissue to die resulting in tooth loss.

The good news about gum disease however, is that in most cases it is completely preventable with an improved regime of oral hygiene. Central Leeds dentists can demonstrate how to effectively clean your teeth to reduce your chances of gum disease, helping to keep your mouth and your heart healthy.

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