Mom's constant reminders to brush your teeth may be helping your
heart. Good oral hygiene aids in preventing plaque build-up that
characterizes both cardiac and gum diseases. There is growing
evidence that hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, is
somehow related to infection and inflammation. "There's a strong
indication that periodontal (gum) disease is a risk factor for
formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries,"
says Jack Caton, DDS, president of The American Academy of
Periodontology and professor of periodontology at the University
of Rochester Eastman Dental Center in New York. Caton considers
gum disease a worldwide problem, plaguing almost everyone. The
primary form of periodontal disease occurs when bacteria invade
the gums, bones, and tissue that support the teeth. Many adults
suffer from periodontal disease, but most do not realize it
until substantial damage has already occurred. Often painless,
gum disease progresses relentlessly. Gums separate from teeth,
pockets for