Heart Disease: There has been evidence that has shown that oral bacteria can affect the heart by entering the blood stream, attaching to fatty plaques in the coronary arteries, and contributing to clot formation.
Recent studies suggest that people with periodontal disease may have nearly twice the risk of having a fatal heart attack as those without periodontal disease.
Diabetes: Individuals with diabetes who have periodontal disease are more susceptible to developing gum abscesses. This has been know for quite sometime, however, it has recently been shown that periodontal disease may make it more difficult to control the diabetes by impairing the diabetic’s ability to process and/or utilize insulin. This not only may cause the diabetes to be more difficult to control, but also may make the infection more severe than in a non-diabetic.
Bacterial Pneumonia: Bacteria entering the blood stream through the inflamed gums is of particular concern to individuals who are elderly, prone to respiratory failure, or with compromised immune systems and thus susceptible to bacterial pneumonia.
Pregnancy: Recent studies have indicated that pregnant women with gum disease may be at increased risk for pre-term delivery, which in turn increases the risk of having a low-birth-weight baby.
