Dental Health and Wellness

Protect your heart with a trip to the dentist. Regular teeth cleaning may reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Think you don’t have to go to the dentist every six months? Even if you’ve been blessed with cavity-free chompers, getting your teeth cleaned regularly may be more important than you think. It might even save your life.
New research suggests that twice-yearly cleanings may lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Researchers found that people who went to the dentist twice a year for two years had a 24 percent lower risk of heart attack and a 13 percent lower risk of stroke compared with people who never went to the dentist or went only once in two years. Regular, professional cleanings can decrease harmful bacteria, which causes inflammation and can lead to gum disease.
According to the American Academy of Periodontology, people with gum disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from heart disease. So even if you dread the dentist, make sure you drop in for your cleaning at least twice a year.