Gum disease doubles likelihood of high blood pressure and heart risk

SLASH Blood Pressure in Just Two Minutes? (must-read!)

One day, you’re winning the fight against heart disease… acing every test and hitting every mark.

The next day, nothing has changed – but now your doc says your blood pressure (BP) is too high.

“Normal” BP levels are like moving targets… as soon as you reach them, the mainstream lowers the threshold.

And if you stray over the line, you’ll soon be on dangerous drugs to bring your numbers down.

But regardless of the latest goal du jour, there’s a dead simple, do-it-yourself way to help keep your blood pressure healthy… without popping any pills.

It takes just two minutes per day – and it’s something you should be doing, anyway.

But truth is, most folks DON’T.

Gumming Up the Works

Do you brush your teeth twice a day?

You know you should – and hopefully, you do… after all, who wants souvenirs of lunch sticking to their pearly whites?

How about flossing?

If you don’t floss – or only do it once in a while – you’re actually in the majority. Just 30 percent of Americans floss daily. The rest do it sometimes… or NEVER.

A regular brushing and flossing routine removes sticky plaque and bacteria that cause bad breath, tooth decay, tooth loss, and gum disease.

But cutting corners can have even WORSE consequences – it can SPIKE blood pressure and other dangerous cardiovascular risks…

Opening the door to heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

You see, numerous studies have confirmed the link between severe gum disease, known as periodontitis, and cardiovascular health.

For example, one study involved 500 adults without chronic health conditions. (Well, except for the fact that half had periodontitis.)

And the health of the subjects’ GUMS made a significant difference in their cardiovascular risk.

In fact, periodontitis DOUBLED the subjects’ risk of hypertension. And it caused their systolic blood pressure (the top number) to rise by nearly four points, on average.

Plus, gum disease led to other key cardiovascular risks, including higher LDL (“bad”) and lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels, higher blood sugar, and increased inflammation.

Why? Well, researchers point to high inflammation as the likely culprit.

Healthy gums are like a barrier that prevents inflammation-causing periodontal bacteria from spreading from your mouth… to OTHER parts of your body.

But if you have gum disease… all bets are off.

Chronic inflammation can travel from your gums to your bloodstream, triggering inflammatory responses THROUGHOUT your body – including inside your arteries.

The resulting damage can cause blood pressure to SOAR – along with other dangerous risks to your heart.

Healthier Gums… Healthier YOU

Friend, gum disease doesn’t just impact heart health. It has also been linked to more than 120 health conditions, including diabetes, cancer, kidney disease, asthma, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s disease.

But you can reduce YOUR risk by taking care of your teeth and gums.

That starts with brushing your teeth twice a day – for two minutes. That’s the only way to remove the sticky plaque and bacteria that can wreck your health.

I recommend a non-fluoride toothpaste containing xylitol, which helps destroys bacteria. Add a xylitol rinse for extra protection.

And get into the habit of FLOSSING every single day – and be sure to work that dental floss between every tooth, up to the gumline.

Finally, don’t forget regular dental cleanings and checkups.

And if you notice ANY signs of severe gum disease, including painful, puffy, or bleeding gums, see your dentist immediately.

Source:

“People with severe gum disease may be twice as likely to have increased blood pressure.” American Heart Association, March 29, 2021. (newsroom.heart.org/news/people-with-severe-gum-disease-may-be-twice-as-likely-to-have-increased-blood-pressure#)