Keeping your teeth and gums healthy in post-menopausal women has been directly linked to developing hypertension or high blood pressure. According to a research, women who keep their teeth and gums healthy can considerably lower the risk of developing high blood pressure. A study which included 35,000 women who were monitored annually for two decades which is a considerable amount of time helped in concluding that post-menopausal women who suffered from tooth loss are 20% more likely to develop hypertension.
We have seen in many earlier studies that gum diseases or dental hygiene in general and Hypertension are related and maintaining good dental hygiene is key to reducing the risk of hypertension. The study was published in American Journal of Hypertension.
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The Chief executive of Oral health foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, says: “Taking care of our oral health earlier on in life will provide us with many benefits as we enter our later years”. He also added, “This is the latest in the long line of studies which illustrates there is a strong link between the health of our mouth and the rest of the body. We cannot refuse our teeth and gums the daily are they require. Neglecting them is a decision we will likely live to regret in the future.”
In general bad Oral health or gum diseases have been linked to increased risk of hypertension, gum diseases and other general health conditions like Diabetes and even cardiovascular diseases. Among all this news it is important to note that Gum disease is a easy to prevent by maintaining good oral hygiene – Brushing twice a day with toothpaste containing fluoride, flossing or inter-dental brushing (to clean between teeth) along with regular visits to a dentist are very important to avoid gum diseases and to maintain good oral hygiene in general.
So spending a few extra minutes a day to maintain good oral hygiene can help you in keeping your gums and oral health in general maintained and preventing or at least not leading to any general health conditions.
Reference:
Gordon, J., LaMonte, M. and Zhao, J. (2018). Association of Periodontal Disease and Edentulism With Hypertension Risk in Postmenopausal Women. American Journal of Hypertension.
You can access the study at: https://academic.oup.com/ajh/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ajh/hpy164/5209925
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