What is the link between gum disease and heart disease?
There is a consistent association between gum disease and a higher risk of heart disease, although it has not been proven that one causes the other. Taking good care of your gums is sensible regardless, but do not expect any guaranteed protection against heart disease from doing so.
People with gum disease have a measurably higher risk of cardiovascular disease. An umbrella analysis of 41 systematic reviews shows that the risk can be elevated by anywhere between 22% and more than fourfold, depending on the severity of the gum disease and which heart condition was studied. Seven prospective studies combined confirm an independently elevated risk of coronary heart disease of roughly 24 to 34%, even after accounting for smoking behaviour and socioeconomic background.
The biological explanation is plausible but has not yet been definitively proven in humans. Bacteria from inflamed gum tissue can enter the bloodstream and trigger a chain reaction of chronic inflammation. That inflammation promotes arterial hardening. In addition, antibodies that the body produces against gum bacteria can also damage the inner lining of blood vessels. This has been demonstrated in animal research and smaller human studies, but more research is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.
There is also a complicating finding: genetic research that attempts to separate cause and effect found no evidence of a direct causal relationship between gum disease and cardiovascular disease. Those genetic studies are still limited in scale, but they raise questions about exactly how direct the relationship is. It is also possible that shared risk factors, such as smoking, poor diet, or low socioeconomic status, partly explain the associations.
Gum treatment improves measurable inflammation markers and vascular function measures. Whether this also leads to fewer heart attacks or deaths has not been demonstrated so far; the studies conducted were not large enough to answer that question. If you use blood thinners and need dental treatment, discuss this in advance with your dentist or doctor, as there are risks of bleeding complications when both are combined.
This answer draws on multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses, including an umbrella analysis of 41 systematic reviews and a summary of seven prospective studies. The association itself is therefore relatively robustly documented. The question of causality is, however, less well supported: genetic studies found no causal evidence, and no large study has yet shown that gum treatment improves hard cardiac endpoints.
What are the causes of memory loss?
Memory loss has many possible causes that differ greatly from one another. If you suddenly develop memory problems, always have them assessed by a doctor so that a treatable cause is not missed.
Is eating 800 grams of fruits and vegetables per day healthier than the standard guideline?
More than 400 grams per day helps, but whether 800 grams is clearly healthier than 400 grams depends on your goal: for cardiovascular disease there is evidence that the curve continues toward 800 grams, while for life expectancy and cancer the benefit above five portions is less convincingly demonstrated.
How do you train your memory effectively?
Memory can be trained, but the smartest investment is regular exercise: that has the strongest and broadest support for cognition and memory. Targeted memory training helps, but less spectacularly than is often assumed.
What is the relationship between high blood pressure and inflammation?
High blood pressure and inflammation reinforce each other mutually, and higher inflammatory values in the blood mean a measurably greater risk of serious cardiovascular disease in people with high blood pressure. Have your blood pressure and CRP checked regularly, especially if you have other risk factors such as diabetes or excess weight.
What does excess weight do to your inflammation levels?
Excess weight structurally raises your inflammation levels through multiple biological pathways. Exercise, and strength training in particular, is a concrete tool for partly reversing that effect.