We are always telling our patients and their parents how oral health really is whole body health. Not only can untreated issues cause illness, those issues can linger as you get older. The old saying that “we don’t need to take care of baby teeth because they are just going to fall out” just doesn’t hold true and has been disproven. A recent Reuters Health study just proved this most definitively.
The study followed 1000 children from 1980 to 2007. Of those children, 95 percent experienced either bleeding, cavities, fillings or pockets around teeth (a sign of gum disease).
Now for the scary part: just having one of those symptoms led to an 87 percent greater chance of that child developing artery damage, also known as subclinical atherosclerosis. It is the thickening of the artery walls.
The study also clearly showed that the children who had healthier mouths as children had lower blood pressure, BMI, glucose, and cholesterol when they were older.
The problem is much more prevalent than the general public realizes. Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease and one that is totally preventable. Oral infections are among the most common cause of inflammation-induced diseases worldwide.
We want all our children to be healthy and that’s why Dr. Gallo works to not only fix oral health problems but teach children proper brushing, flossing and diet tips as well as strategies on how to have the healthiest mouth possible.
Many of gum-disease related issues are entirely preventable and we always encourage our patients to check in with Dr. Gallo regularly with any questions. Always feel free to call us with any questions at (518) 242-7800.
