True Story:      We recently had a patient in our office who suffered a massive heart attack.  He was in critical condition for several weeks.  His Cardiologist explained to him that one of the main contributing factors to his heart attack was directly related to his untreated periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory disease, is directly linked to health issues such as heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes, and respiratory disease, as well as problems related to pregnancy.

The main cause of  periodontal disease is plaque that is left on the teeth.  However, there are several factors that affect the health of your gums; smoking, genetics, hormonal changes, stress, medications, clenching or grinding, diabetes and obesity.  Because there is usually no pain involved, people are unaware that they even have gum disease.  This is why preventative care is so important.  Early detection and treatment is the key to saving your teeth and keeping your body healthy.

The American Academy of Periodontology has developed a risk assessment test, to help determine if you are at risk for developing gum disease.  http://service.previser.com/aap/default.aspx