Secondhand Smoke and Periodontal Disease
“Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke for a few hours each day can double a person’s risk of severe periodontal disease.”
Study links secondhand smoke and periodontal disease – American Dental Association – ADA.org
www.ada.org
It’s been clear for years that smokers have a higher risk of periodontal disease but there’s also research showing secondhand smoke can also increase the risk.
Keep Chronic Inflammation Under Control
Inflammation is the fire your body builds to burn out attackers like bacteria, viruses or parasites. If you’ve ever gotten a scratch that grows swollen and hot to the touch you’ve encountered acute, or temporary, inflammation. Then the healing begins.
Far more serious is chronic inflammation (CI). It’s like a fire inside your body that never goes out and increasingly researchers are recognizing it as a significant factor contributing to heart disease.
A simple blood test for chronic inflammation focuses on C-reactive protein (CRP), which the liver produces when inflammation is present. But your mouth can present more obvious and immediate evidence of CI — if you have sore or bleeding gums. That is periodontal disease (gum disease), and it needs to be treated as soon as it is detected to reduce the risk.
That’s why routine dental checkups are so critical — not just for your teeth but for your overall health. Don’t permit a destructive fire to rage unchecked inside your body. Arrange for a dental appointment at our office at your earliest convenience! And don’t forget to floss.
Tags: bad gums, gum disease, periodontal disease
