Bad Breath? It Could Be Your Heart
According to the Mayo Clinic, researchers have linked poor oral health, including periodontitis (gum disease) and tooth decay, to heart disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDs, osteoporosis, certain cancers, eating disorders and sexually transmitted diseases. In some cases, like that of HIV/AIDS and osteoporosis, symptoms may show up in the mouth first. In other cases, such as heart disease, poor oral health may cause disease elsewhere in the body.
How does gum disease lead to heart attacks? The human mouth teems with bacteria. Some bacteria are supposed to be there -; they keep the mouth healthy. Other, "bad" bacteria cause disease when they overpopulate. In gum disease, bad bacteria can enter the blood stream, where they travel to other parts of the body.
"Research recently published in the Journal of the American Dental Association confirms what dentists have likely known all along -; some of the bacteria that thrive in your mouth contribute to systematic inflammation, increasing the risk of several life-threatening conditions," says Dr. Jeffrey Hillman, D.M.D., Ph.D. and chief medical officer for ONI BioPharma. "Logically, improving the health of your teeth and gums should substantially lower your odds of facing certain diseases."
Having begun his research of probiotics 25 years ago at the Harvard-affiliated Forsyth Institute in Boston and later at the University of Florida, Hillman believes that he has found a way to promote oral health by replenishing specific "good bacteria" in the mouth. This replenishment can be as simple as putting a probiotic mint in your mouth with a product like EvoraPlus.
"Daily use of a product such as EvoraPlus is an easy way to naturally maintain oral health," says Hillman. "The good bacteria inhibit the growth of the damaging bad bacteria, leading to better health and breath."
For more information, visit www.evoraplus.com.
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