Bad Breath Can Be A Warning Sign Of An Impending Heart Attack

A heart attack, while it does strike without warning, has dozens of symptoms before it occurs. A heart attack occurs when there is a blockage in the coronary artery causing blood to stop flowing to heart muscles. It is among the top natural killers in the world today.

According to the British Heart Foundation, this medical condition causes around 170,000 deaths in the United Kingdom annually. This means approximately 460 people die each day in the UK because of a heart attack. It is, therefore, important to know early on the symptoms and signs that could lead to this condition.

Gum Disease

There are many symptoms of heart disease that could lead to a heart attack. Recently, medical and dental researchers have looked into the relationship between oral and overall health issues. One area of concern is the link between heart and gum diseases.

Referred to as periodontal disease, gum disease is simply the inflammation of the gums. Such conditions can cause the breakdown of not only the gums but also the teeth and bone tissues.

In the case of heart disease, a bacterial or viral infection can cause a condition known as pericarditis. It is the inflammation of the pericardium, which is a fibrous sac that surrounds the heart.

While the exact cause of pericarditis is unknown, medical researchers are beginning to explore the possibility that bacteria caused by gum disease may play a huge role in its development. Scientists are also exploring a theory that gum disease bacteria also play a role, not only in heart disease but also in a host of other health issues like Alzheimer's.

This theoretical conclusion was reached after discovering gum disease bacteria have been found in samples of heart and brain tissues of people who died from these illnesses. Scientists are not entirely sure, though if gum disease bacteria caused such illnesses to develop in these dead patients. They opine, however, that since such bacteria cause inflammation, it may have compromised functions of these vital organs.

Regular Dental Care

In other recent studies, the link between heart disease and gum disease was further analyzed. The results were published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. The study revealed that people who have regular dental care are at lower risk of developing heart disease that could lead to fatal heart attacks. Such results further solidify the idea that oral health does impact the health of the heart.

Because of this glaring evidence, both the American Heart Association and the American Dental Association admitted that there is such a relationship between heart disease and gum disease.