How do the gums impact heart health? There are strong links between the two. Untreated gum disease can lead to increased risk of heart problems. In fact, gum disease is linked to a variety of health problems and systemic diseases. When you neglect poor oral health, particularly poor gum health, your body stays in a chronic state of infection and inflammation. This puts undue stress on your heart.

Signs of gum disease, such as bleeding gums, loose teeth, deep pockets around the gums, and gum discoloration all need to be looked at by your dentist. And even if you don’t have obvious signs of gum disease, regular check-ups are important because damage can occur even before symptoms show up. Early detection is second only to prevention as far as importance goes in the fight against periodontal disease. The sooner your dentist catches it, the better. Early intervention and gum disease treatment could even lead to the disease being reversible.