FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: DEBRA GRAY KING, D.D.S
MARCH 1, 1998
(404)847-9711

Healthy Teeth, Healthy Heart

Computerized Gum Probing System Available to Track Periodontal Disease Which Has Been Linked To Heart Disease

Atlanta, Georgia. Healthy teeth can help reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Dr. Debra Gray King of Atlanta says there is increasing evidence of a link between periodontal, or gum, disease and coronary heart disease. "If you have a healthy mouth you are not only helping maintain your natural teeth, but you are less likely to get a stroke or coronary heart disease," Dr. King reports.

Periodontal disease is an infectious condition of the teeth and gums associated with the loss of connective tissue, reabsorbtion of bone, and formation of infections pockets. It is quite common in the U.S., with an estimated 85 percent of U.S. adults having some form of the disease.

Take Brushing to Heart

Before I told people, "brush and floss or you might lose a tooth." But now I'm saying, "brush and floss, it could save your life." Dr. King says. After reviewing studies over the past five years comparing Periodontal disease and other disorders, Dr. King warns that the results are alarming - Periodontal disease is a stronger risk factor for heart disease than high blood pressure, smoking or a high cholesterol diet. One large 1993 study, The National Health and Nutrition Study, which included nearly 10,000 people ages 25 to 74, showed that patients with periodontal disease had a 25 percent increased risk of heart disease compared to people without gum problems.

A more recent study in 1996 of 1,147 men found " the incidence of coronary heart disease, fatal coronary heart disease, and stroke were all significantly related to the baseline periodontal status," the study said. The connection was most remarkable in men under 50 with periodontitis, who had nearly double the risk of coronary heart disease as men who had little or no periodontal disease.

In 1997, the American Heart Association published a study that found that those with gum disease were at 2.6 times greater risk for stroke or stroke like symptoms related to blockage of the blood supply to the brain. Based on these studies, physicians are increasingly referring their patients for a periodontal evaluation after a diagnosis of coronary heart disease or a stroke.

Bacteria Can Travel From The Mouth To The Heart

Dr. King said one of the likely causes for the association between the mouth and the heart is bacteria. Although periodontitis is an infection localized in the gums, it can also cause reactions elsewhere in the body. "There is a lot of evidence now saying that mouth infections may be an important trigger for degenerative changes in the arteries," explains Dr. King.

The bacterium known as Prophyromonas Gingival is the cause of adult periodontal disease. It is called an "opportunistic anaerobe" - an organism living without oxygen and waiting to receive nutrition. "If you have periodontitis and your gums bleed when you brush or floss your teeth, its very easy for the bacteria involved to gain access to other areas of your body through the bloodstream." Explains Dr. King. " An interaction between this specific bacteria in dental plaque (the filmy layer of mainly bacteria that forms on the teeth) and platelets (components of blood involved in clotting) is what is suspected as contributing towards the association between periodontal disease and coronary heart disease," Dr. King says.

How Do You Know If Your Mouth Can Threaten Your Life?

If you have red or swollen gums or bleed when you brush or floss, you may have periodontitis. A dentist can confirm your condition through a periodontal probe, Which is used to measure the depth of the pockets in at least six places around each tooth. A probing depth of greater than three millimeters indicates that a periodontal pocket has developed. "When you acquire an infection of the gums and tooth socket, " X-ray is not determinative of a periodontal condition. It requires a trained clinician evaluating each section of the mouth, including evaluating whether there is tarter, inflammation or bleeding present," says Dr. King.

Periodontal probing used to be done by a dentist or hygienist using a pointed metal handpiece, manually applying pressure, and then reading the scale at the end of the probe. This procedure was somewhat painful, and depending on the dentist and the amount of pressure, different reading were possible. Now, there is a more advanced tool - a computerized periodontal probe.

Computerized Probing System Now Available

Dr. Kings office is the first dental office in Atlanta to have a computerized periodontal probing system - The Florida Probe. The Florida Probe system improves over the older manual method by using a sterilized plastic handpiece with a titanium tip. This probe applies a constant force of fifteen grams per measurement, which results in greater accuracy in diagnosing periodontitis The electronic Handpiece is connected to a computer that instantly records and charts the results.

The Florida Probe allows objective and repeatable measurements of pocket depths and attachment loss. "Our patients can immediately see the results of the probe on a comprehensive color-coded chart," says Dr. King. Patients also will appreciate the increased level of comfort over the manual probe. "It is an exciting development in this area, and should be of great interest to anyone concerned not only about their teeth, but their heart," says Dr. King