Medical Link Between
Periodontal Disease And Coronary Heart Disease
Your oral
By Dr. Collis Johnson
health is important, and learn-
ing how to pre-
vent serious oral
diseases could be
Editor’s note: Dr. Collis Johnson, Jr. has practiced dentistry for more than 30 years in the Denver area. He is a life member of the American Dental Association, Colorado Dental Association, and Metropolitan Dental Association; Past Member of the State board of Dental Examiners; Member of PEER Assistance board and serves as
circulatory system of the people with a family history of stroke, heart attack, and arteriosclerosis. Preventative measures such as proper brushing, flossing, waterpik, electric toothbrushes and dental aids can be used at home. If bleeding of the gums occurs and continues, it means that an infection is present and it should be treated. If uncontrolled bleeding continues, you should see your dentist immediately. Prevention is crucial and having routine dental visits – at least twice a year is recommended when it comes to preventing and controlling oral diseases.
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the key to
adding years to your life. You may be wondering, what is Periodontal Disease? Periodontal Disease is an oral infection of the gum and bone that surround the teeth. It is caused by a specific bacterial toxin and is the number one cause of adult tooth loss. Not only is it the number one cause of adult tooth loss, but it’s also linked to heart disease. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the African-American community. If you can prevent any disease that attacks the heart, you will add years to your life. The key to preventing periodontal disease and other types of oral diseases is to recognize the symptoms. Like any disease, there are certain stages that are important to recognize so that the disease can be prevented. For example, gingivitis is one of them. Gingivitis is the swelling and inflammation of the gums, and is the first stage of periodontal disease. The main cause of gingivitis is the accumulation of plaque, which is the sticky film of food and bacteria that form constantly on your teeth. If that sticky plaque is not removed each day, the bacteria in the plaque will invade the spaces between the teeth and gums and begin to produce toxins. These toxins irritate and inflame the gums, causing them to swell and bleed. But, Gingivitis is easily reversed if caught in time. It is speculated that a continuous long term exposure of oral bacterium and bacteria toxins induces immune response could contribute to coronary arteriosclerosis and inconjuction with other risk factors leading to coronary heart disease. Coronary heart disease is the number cause of death in women, associated with high blood pressure, myocardial infarction, stroke and heart attacks. In recent research, there appears to be a correlation between the bacteria in the oral cavity and blood borne bacteria found in the
DID YOU KNOW?
On March 5, 2012 Colo. 35 State Senate and 35 school principals celebrated its’ 2nd annual Goal Days for 5th grade girls who had an opportunity to be senators for a day. No Black girls were selected. Did they overlook your daughters, granddaughter, nieces and neighbors? Where are the parents? NO DIVERSITY. Wake up! These are our future legislators. But will your child be among the future law makers? For more details, write to GrandPa Pepper at myvoicecounts1@q.com. Make sure to leave your number. Bless Trayvon Martin and his family and those who are killed unnecessarily. See you next month at DID YOU KNOW?
The Inclusiveness Project of
presents
Understanding the Unconscious Side of
Racism
Professor john a. powell Nationally recognized authority in the areas of civil rights, civil liberties, and issues relating to race, poverty, and the law.
Incarceration and high school dropout rates have soared over the past few decades for people of color, especially Black and Brown males. These phenomena are especially difficult to understand because during this period of time, the nation has elected an African American President, and Denver has had the leadership of one Latino and two African American mayors.
Monday, April 30, 2012
5:30 pm - Reception (drinks & hors d’oeuvres) 6 pm - Lecture & Community Dialogue
Other factors are clearly at play. Professor john a. powell explains how the unconscious mind, which accounts for 98% of our cognitive and emotional processing, plays a role in the perpetuation of racism and marginalization in our society. Join us for this fascinating and provocative lecture and community dialogue.
Admission is FREE (RSVP required) Special thanks to our Sponsors and Partners:
The Cable Center
2000 Buchtel Boulevard Denver, CO 80210 Free parking available Contact Holly Kingsbury at hkingsbury@denverfoundation.org Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – April 2012
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