Prophylaxis
The prevention (prophylaxis) of periodontitis includes improving daily oral hygiene and participating in a prophylaxis program in the dental office. The affected patients should brush their teeth at least three times a day. However, in the end it is not only the frequency, but above all the quality of oral hygiene that is of utmost importance.
In order to train effective oral hygiene, the teeth are stained with special staining agents during the prophylaxis sessions. These indicate those areas where brushing must be improved. In addition to using the toothbrush, it is recommended to use dental floss and/or interdental space brushes (interdental space brushes). In addition, professional tooth cleaning should be carried out at regular intervals.
What is the connection between periodontitis and heart attack?
Periodontitis is often associated with a heart attack or vascular deposits. In general, periodontitis causes the bleeding and the number of damaging bacteria to enter the bloodstream. This can happen while eating or brushing your teeth.
As a result, arteriosclerosis can develop. In the process, so-called plaques form in the walls of the blood vessels, which can become loose in the event of a rupture (tearing) and get stuck in the narrow vessels, e.g. of the heart, thus causing a heart attack. Furthermore, periodontitis and heart attack have in common their risk factors for the development of the respective disease. These include smoking, advanced age and diabetes.
All articles in this series: