Dental Implants May Help Lower Your Risk For Heart Disease

Right now, dental implants are considered the premier way to replace any number of missing teeth according to dentists and patients alike, but did you know that they could also help protect your heart health? According to new research from Tulane University, tooth loss that occurs during middle age can significantly increase a person’s chances of developing coronary heart disease. However, dental implants in Coatesville can help completely reverse the effects of tooth loss, restoring the smile and potentially safeguarding the heart at the same time. Read on to learn more.

Tooth Loss and Coronary Heart Disease

A team of scientists at Tulane University recently conducted research to see if there is a correlation between middle-aged tooth loss (as in teeth lost while middle-aged) and coronary heart disease. To do this, they looked at two previous studies that involved thousands of men and women aged 45-69 who reported their tooth loss and heart health over the course of 12-18 years.

After combing through all of the data, the researchers found a few interesting things:

• Those who lost two or more teeth over the course of the study had a 23% higher risk of developing coronary heart disease versus those who had not lost any teeth.
• This increase in risk was independent of quality of diet, frequency of exercise, bodyweight, and the presence of diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
• For the participants who did not lose any teeth over the course of the study, they experienced no significant increase in their risk of coronary heart disease.

Researchers concluded “that among middle-aged adults, a higher number of teeth loss in the recent past may be associated with (a) subsequent risk of coronary heart disease…”

How Dental Implants Can Help

So if you’re reading this, and you’re middle-aged and have recently lost some teeth…what do you do? Are you just doomed to develop heart problems? Fortunately, dentistry is able to meet this problem head on with dental implants.

Dental implants, unlike other tooth replacements, actually restore the entire structure of a tooth from root to crown. This not only makes the new teeth extremely strong and stable, but it also helps prevent the bone loss that is so common after tooth loss.

Basically, implants counteract every symptom of tooth loss, which can drastically lower the impact it can have on the heart. Not to mention, dental implants can improve your ability to eat, speak, and smile with confidence, increasing your quality of life in countless ways.

What to Remember

What all of this information shows is that taking care of your teeth can do so much more than simply keep your smile looking great. Regular brushing, flossing, and visits to your dentist in Coatesville can prevent tooth loss from occurring in the first place, and should you experience it, dental implants can make it seem like it never happened, leading to a longer, happier, and healthier life.

About the Author

Dr. Mark Simeone has nearly two decades of experience as a general and implant dentist in Coatesville. In February 2016, he opened his practice, Chester County Dental Arts, so he and his team could provide local families with comprehensive and state-of-the-art dental care in one convenient location. To learn more about preventing tooth loss, how it affects your heart, and how Dr. Simeone can help rebuild your smile, he can be contacted through his website.