{"id":114,"date":"2022-05-13T16:07:27","date_gmt":"2022-05-13T16:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ralphavenuedental.com\/blog\/?p=114"},"modified":"2022-05-13T16:07:54","modified_gmt":"2022-05-13T16:07:54","slug":"are-gum-disease-and-high-blood-pressure-connected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ralphavenuedental.com\/blog\/2022\/05\/13\/are-gum-disease-and-high-blood-pressure-connected\/","title":{"rendered":"Gum Disease & High Blood Pressure: Is There a Connection?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Woman<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 50% of adults over the age of 30 have some form of gum disease<\/a>. So, it\u2019s safe to say that it\u2019s a prevalent oral health concern among American adults. If left untreated, it can result in swollen gums, bad breath, and even loose teeth. But can it also lead to high blood pressure? Keep reading to learn more about the correlation between the two conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

So, How Are Gum Disease and High Blood Pressure Connected?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Francesco D’Aiuto, the head of the periodontology unit at University College London Eastman Dental Institute, recently shared that periodontal bacteria doesn\u2019t just damage gums; it also triggers an inflammatory response that can result in high blood pressure. The study included 250 adults with gum disease and 250 adults without it. He found that participants struggling with this serious oral health concern were 2x more likely to have high systolic blood pressure. So, while the relationship between gum disease and high blood pressure isn\u2019t a cause-and-effect one, there certainly seems to be a relationship between the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 Ways to Help Prevent Gum Disease<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that gum disease is largely preventable \u2013 you just need to incorporate the right best practices into your daily routine! Some important ones include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n