Oral Healthcare – Bergenfield, NJ

Why Choose Washington Dental Associates for Help with Proper Dental Hygiene?

• We See Children & Adults
• Decades of Trusted Clinical Experience
• Evening & Weekend Appointments

Oral Infections & Mobile Bacteria

Currently, some research suggests that gum disease may be a more serious risk factor for heart disease than hypertension, smoking, cholesterol, gender, and age. Recent studies even identify those with gum disease as being at higher risk for heart attacks than the rest of the population, although the exact link between these two situations is not yet clearly identified. What has been demonstrated is that the greater the level of gum infection, the greater the chance for oral bacteria to actually enter the blood stream and begin to travel throughout the system. If this bacterium reaches your arteries, the arteries may become irritated just as your gums did in the first place. Such arterial wall irritations typically result in a buildup of protective plaque, which in turn may harden and block blood flow. And without sufficient blood flow, your heart can easily have a heart attack. Further, loosened arterial plaque may itself travel through the bloodstream, reach the brain, and form a stroke-producing blockage.

Gum Disease Prevention & Detection

We can use a special rinse immediately after dental procedures to neutralize the bacteria and reduce your chances of it traveling through your bloodstream. However, your best defense against any of these possible scenarios is to maintain a consistently healthy mouth. Not only through meticulous daily brushing and flossing habits, but by visiting our office for your regular check-ups at least twice a year. Remember, gum disease is a silent but serious problem that may go unnoticed without those professional exams. And it's relatively easy to take care of a little stubborn tooth plaque now, but far more difficult to take care of the kind that builds up in your arteries.