A Surgeons Journal Heart and Teeth Dr. Mohamed AHMED-NASR Oral and teeth hygiene are primordial for assuring a healthy life. Brushing teeth twice per day , after breakfast and before sleeping prevent development of major heart diseases. Remember all cases of sudden death in your surroundings, you will remark that their great majority were heavy smoker persons with bad oral and teeth hygiene. Oral hygiene affects the heart. It starts early in childhood. Bacteria present in the oral cavity especially the streptococcus type passes in blood stream. It stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies. The latter unites with protein of bacteria in presence of a complement produced in addition by the immune system of the body to form an immune complex. The immune complex circulates in blood to precipitate in filter organs of the body. In large joints it induces acute rheumatic arthritis. In the kidneys in causes acute glomerulonephritis which is a type of kidney infections that affects children. In the brain it induces chorea which is a type of involuntary movement. In the heart it causes inflammation of all layers of the heart . This rheumatic activity induces pericarditis, myocarditis and endocarditis. Healing of such pan carditis occurs by fibrous tissue formation that deteriorate heart valves. This results in either narrowing of heart valve or regurgitation trough the valve. This is why cortisone that inhibits fibrous tissue formation by the body is given during the active phase of rheumatic fever. It is given in the dose of 2 milligrams per kilogram of the child body weight provided the dose does not exceed 660 mgr/day. Cortisone avoid healing by excessive fibrous tissue which protect heart valve from distortion. Good oral hygiene by brushing teeth twice daily together with regular eradication of oral septic foci by dentists prevent development of rheumatic fever and all its complications in heart kidneys and brain . Such a simple prevention may save billions of funds spent on treatment of all diseases resulting from affection of children by rheumatic fever early in life The second main relation between teeth and heart is seen in heavy smoker persons with bad oral hygiene . This is particularly seen in non controlled diabetic patients. Bacteria present in mouth and root of infected teeth such as Clamydea as for example pass in blood stream. It induces inflammation of calcified plaques of atherosclerosis on wall of blood vessels. Such inflammations induces fissures or cracks in such plaques . Clots develop on the fissures precipitating development of large thrombi that obstruct the blood vessel attacked. Sudden obstruction of the artery causes infarction it the artery concerned is a coronary artery or brain infarction if it is one of the brain arteries. Such a type of pathology are responsible of development of major diseases that costs billions for the budget of health care system Simple regular oral hygiene by brushing teeth twice daily after breakfast and before sleeping in addition to regular eradication of septic foci by regular oral hygiene check up by the family dentist may save billions spent on medical treatment of major diseases E mail : [email protected]
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 09:33:36 +0000
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