HOW GUM DISEASE TREATMENT CAN PREVENT HEART DISEASE A new study is helping to shed more light on the important connection between the mouth and heart. Scientists have demonstrated that using an oral topical remedy to reduce inflammation associated with periodontitis, more commonly known as gum disease, also results in the prevention of vascular inflammation and can lower the risk of heart attack. This study is the first time researchers anywhere have demonstrated the ability of an oral treatment for gum disease to also reduce inflammation in the artery wall. This discovery further underscores the increasing body of evidence showcasing how problems in the mouth - and how they are treated - can have life changing influences on other key systems in the body, such as the heart in this case. This research is helping to underscore the very real link between oral health and heart disease. The general public understands the connection between heart health and overall wellness, and often takes appropriate steps to prevent heart disease. More education is needed to elevate oral wellness into the same category in light of proven connections to major health conditions. According to the CDC, heart disease accounts for one in four deaths in the United States, and the rate continues to rise. The study's findings suggest a need to expand the public's understanding of risk factors beyond cholesterol, smoking, hypertension and diabetes to include a focus on oral health. Presented as a service to the community by Presented as a service to the community by Dr. Barbara Webster 1121 Warren Ave., Suite 130, Downers Grove, IL 60515 630-663-0554 SM-CL 1901234 HOW GUM DISEASE TREATMENT CAN PREVENT HEART DISEASE A new study is helping to shed more light on the important connection between the mouth and heart. Scientists have demonstrated that using an oral topical remedy to reduce inflammation associated with periodontitis, more commonly known as gum disease, also results in the prevention of vascular inflammation and can lower the risk of heart attack. This study is the first time researchers anywhere have demonstrated the ability of an oral treatment for gum disease to also reduce inflammation in the artery wall. This discovery further underscores the increasing body of evidence showcasing how problems in the mouth - and how they are treated - can have life changing influences on other key systems in the body, such as the heart in this case. This research is helping to underscore the very real link between oral health and heart disease. The general public understands the connection between heart health and overall wellness, and often takes appropriate steps to prevent heart disease. More education is needed to elevate oral wellness into the same category in light of proven connections to major health conditions. According to the CDC, heart disease accounts for one in four deaths in the United States, and the rate continues to rise. The study's findings suggest a need to expand the public's understanding of risk factors beyond cholesterol, smoking, hypertension and diabetes to include a focus on oral health. Presented as a service to the community by Presented as a service to the community by Dr. Barbara Webster 1121 Warren Ave., Suite 130, Downers Grove, IL 60515 630-663-0554 SM-CL 1901234