Heart Health


What Is Heart Disease?

The term "heart disease" covers a range of problems that affect the heart, including blood vessel disease, unstable heart rhythm, diseases in the muscles of the heart, and infections in the heart. All combined, heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, accounting for over 655,000 deaths each year. That's 1 in every 4 deaths.

As a "silent" condition, the symptoms of heart disease are often not noticeable until they cause a severe reaction, such as a heart attack. For this reason, it's very important to get regular health screenings and take preventative measures to ensure that your heart stays healthy.

The Mouth-Body Connection to Heart Health

You might not typically associate heart health with oral health, but the two are more closely related than it might seem. According to the American Heart Association's medical journal Circulation, evidence suggests that heart attacks can be triggered by oral infections. The worse the infection, the more severe the heart attack.

In fact, as many as 50% of heart attacks may be triggered by infections in the mouth. Blood clots that cause heart attacks often contain elevated amounts of the same bacteria that cause root canals. Another pathogen, Streptococcus mutans, is found both in dental cavities as well as infections in the heart's inner ring.

Heart Disease Treatment

At Union Village Medical Group, we work on consort with the oral health professionals at Union Village Modern Dentistry to take a proactive approach to heart disease treatment by identifying the early warning signs throughout your body. Using the latest diagnostic technology, such as cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), we can give you the best chance of early detection and treatment to keep your heart as healthy as possible.

What Is Heart Disease?

The term "heart disease" covers a range of problems that affect the heart, including blood vessel disease, unstable heart rhythm, diseases in the muscles of the heart, and infections in the heart. All combined, heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, accounting for over 655,000 deaths each year. That's 1 in every 4 deaths.

As a "silent" condition, the symptoms of heart disease are often not noticeable until they cause a severe reaction, such as a heart attack. For this reason, it's very important to get regular health screenings and take preventative measures to ensure that your heart stays healthy.

The Mouth-Body Connection to Heart Health

You might not typically associate heart health with oral health, but the two are more closely related than it might seem. According to the American Heart Association's medical journal Circulation, evidence suggests that heart attacks can be triggered by oral infections. The worse the infection, the more severe the heart attack.

In fact, as many as 50% of heart attacks may be triggered by infections in the mouth. Blood clots that cause heart attacks often contain elevated amounts of the same bacteria that cause root canals. Another pathogen, Streptococcus mutans, is found both in dental cavities as well as infections in the heart's inner ring.

Heart Disease Treatment

At Union Village Medical Group, we work on consort with the oral health professionals at Union Village Modern Dentistry to take a proactive approach to heart disease treatment by identifying the early warning signs throughout your body. Using the latest diagnostic technology, such as cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), we can give you the best chance of early detection and treatment to keep your heart as healthy as possible.