Oral Health and Heart Disease
Oral health only has to do with your teeth, right? Well, actually, many people in the medical field have made greater connections between oral and overall health. Through hundreds of studies over the years, tooth decay and gum disease have been linked to many other serious conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. There is some debate about the depth of oral-systemic health. The reason dentists check blood pressure readings, though, is that dental anxieties and intense procedures can raise blood pressure. If your blood pressure gets too high, there is a definite risk for heart attacks and strokes.
What If My Blood Pressure is High?
Unfortunately, hypertension is often thought of as a silent killer. Many people walk around each day with no idea that they have high blood pressure. This is actually quite the parallel to oral health. Many people also walk around with tartar build-up and periodontal disease (gum disease) with no obvious symptoms. Just as gum disease can segue into periodontitis (severe gum disease) if left untreated, hypertension can lead to the aforementioned heart attacks and strokes. So, when you go in for a dental procedure, your blood pressure reading will tell the dentist whether or not you are in good enough health to go through with it. Any blood pressure reading above 160mm/100mm is going to be considered a danger zone. Ideal blood pressure will be below 120mm/80mm.
ABOUT YOUR SKOKIE DENTIST:
Dr. Brent Engelberg and his highly-skilled team proudly serve patients and their families from Arlington Heights, IL, and all surrounding communities, including; Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Skokie, Evanston, Palatine, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, and the Northern and Northwest Chicago Suburbs. To learn more, schedule a consultation online, or call our office today at 847-259-8030.