Hi all,
I have just read an interesting article that makes a connection between heart arrhythmia and gum issues, whilst I have heard of this connection before it stated that on a clinical trail people who had dental scaling once a year had a noticeable decrease in AFib compared to others that had not, this interested me as I often suffer from gum inflammation. I was wondering if anyone else had explored this treatment?
Thanks
The connection is well known between gum disease and heart problems. Due to ongoing problems casued by lack of treatment (NHS do not treat gums) I now have three monthly (when covid free) hygienists visits and over the years have had several root planing sessions which are not much fun to be honest.
It amazes me how many people seem ignorant of gum disease but then it was not till I moved house where there were no NHS dentists available that the true horror was explained to me. A six monthly or yearly poke around and quick polish really doesn't help much. Many people only discover that they have gum disease when they start taking anticoagulants and then blame those! lol 😁
Thanks for the reply Bob, once dental practices reopen I will make an appointment for a session, even if it has little effect on my heart it would be nice to rid the gum inflammation problem - cheers
It may be a fluke but my brother aged 89 has wonderful teeth......no afib.He spends ,has always spent 'loads' on tooth hygeine and care.
I've spent thousands on my teeth over the years, have always had private plan treatments. It's only the dentist I've had for the last seven or so years that has offered 4 yearly scale and polish sessions, I still have AF though. With me I find it's more what I eat that affects my heart rhythm.
My granddaughter is studying dentistry at Uni right now, so I hope one day I'll have her looking after me. Every time she comes to my house I ask her advice.
Jean
Thanks for reply Jean, I always brush and floss regularly etc... but never had dental scaling, can’t hurt to try it, cheers
I think they call it a scale and polish. That's what I usually have every three months (when there's no covid around). Yes, I use every dental aid there is too.
I used to use Water Piks too until my dentist said don't because they can drive bacteria down into the gums. They squirt a jet of water between the teeth, they were far more efficient than floss, but I take my dentists advice.
Jean
My dad lived to 96 never visited the dentist more or less had rotten teeth & didn't have AF 🤷♀️
Great to get a reply like that. I have private health for teeth etc , generally I run out in the first 6 months, my husband, we eat the same, he eats more, my teeth just break away, not decay. Hubby still has all his at 77 and I'm nearly toothless at 76 and spent thousands! The luck of the draw me thinks.
Yes I agree. I’ve always looked after my teeth but have gingivitis so get a scale & polish every 3mths with a private dentist. On the other hand my husband has never bothered with his teeth but has no gum disease & no AF either by the way. Sods Law I think
Do you suffer from Osteoporosis ?
Hi Bob
Really interesting, I was ignorant about gum disease and AFto be honest. Incidentally why do most people find out about gum disease when they have AF. Does AF make gum disease more prevalent?
Steve
No Steve but I think when they start anticoagulation and find their gums bleed they suddenly realise they have a problem. Most still don't understand and blame the anticoagulant!
My dentist explained that here in UK NHS dentistry does not treat gums, only teeth with an occasional quick polish which does little fankly. I was warned thirty or more years ago to go to a heigenist but never did till I moved where there were no NHS dentists . Far too late for most of my teeth sadly but I have three monthly cleans to try and keep the last few.
Also if you have severe acid reflux it does not help, I have had this for years and years and has caused a lot of problems with teeth and gums. And I am petrified of seeing a dentist because of what happened over 10 years ago, I am getting slightly better as I had 3 teeth out in January and a deep clean (under gum line) and a scale with the water jet they use, was meant to go back April to have the 2nd instalment of scale and polish but because of covid and also I am shielding it did not go a head.
Very interested in the replies. I'm waiting to have a back tooth removed due to shrinking gums, however on of the vagus nerves runs across the face and this has triggered a feeling like an electric shock across my chin when touched. I've been wondering if this has contributed to my AF. Expect I'll find out once the tooth is removed! Fingers crossed
the electric shock across your chin may be a crushed nerve having occurred during the removal of the back tooth. It happened to me on removal of a wisdom tooth - it felt like a spider crawling across my chin/jaw and occasional electric shocks when touched - it took around 1 yr to get better.
Possibly. The Trigeminal nerve had three branches, one runs along I think both jaws and the face. When having a wisdom tooth removed they have to be really careful not to damage it, as damage will cause numb face and tongue. I’m not sure how close the Vagus nerve is to the teeth or if it’s close to the Trigeminal nerve but could be implicated in AF.
My brother was a dentist, but he did get AF.
There's a lot of evidence around on the association of poor dental hygiene and AF. For instance:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/234...
Regular scaling reduced AF.
The bacteria which cause inflamed gums also causes general inflammation in the body. That not only increases AF but increases alzheimer's: advances.sciencemag.org/con...
Perhaps not only gum inflammation but any inflammation can cause arrhythmia.
During the peak of the severity of my arrhythmias my CRP reading was 127. Normal should be less than 5.
My high reading was due to my gout, gallbladder inflammation and gum problems. Lost 2 teeth and my gout dissolved and my gallbladder was removed.
CRP is a marker for tumors, cancers inflammation etc. Even CAD.
Since then I have not been back in A&E with arrhythmias.
I'd been having periodontal treatments for at least five years before AF was diagnosed...and continue to need it after ablation. Interested to read that Water Pik might drive bacteria deeper; my dentist seems to think it's a useful tool.
A newbie with worries about dental treatment!
Dental treatment
Dental fillings
Dental concern.
