The Heart and Gum Disease Connection

How are you? No really,... Are you watching what you eat? Exercising regularly? Feeling at the top of your game? Do you have a terrific primary care physician? How about your teeth and gums? No complaints? Do your gums ever bleed when you brush or floss? They shouldn't. That's a sure sign of problem. How about bad breath? Are your teeth shifting slightly? Are your gums receding faster than your hairline? Is the gum tissue, right next to your teeth,reddish instead of very light pink? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then all may not be well. Unfortunately, any of those things can be signs of gum disease, and the point of this article is to tell you about this common condition and its recently discovered to heart disease.

Do you snore? Do you have high blood pressure? Is your neck size bigger than 17 (men) or 15.5 inches (women)? Have you had anyone tell you that they heard you stop breathing for several seconds in the night and then take a gasping breath?

If you answered yes to 3 or more of these questions then you are very likely to be suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). In fact, 50% of snorers (over age 35) have OSA - a serious sleep disorder that can have enormous implications to your daily health and safety. People with OSA are 23 times more likely to have a heart attack, 24% report falling asleep at the wheel at least once a week. Read on for more....