- With Mayo Clinic cardiologist
Martha Grogan, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Martha Grogan, M.D.
Martha Grogan, M.D.
Dr. Martha Grogan is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular diseases. She is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and received her medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School. Dr. Grogan has been on staff at Mayo Clinic since 1995 and is a consultant in the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and is an assistant professor of medicine at Mayo Medical School.
Dr. Grogan is a noninvasive cardiologist specializing in heart failure, adult congenital heart disease and echocardiography. She has witnessed firsthand the importance of patient education in the treatment of diseases such as congestive heart failure and is excited about the tremendous educational opportunities now available through the Internet.
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Question
Heart disease prevention: A link to oral health?
Can poor oral health cause heart disease? Will taking care of my teeth help prevent heart disease?
Answer
from Martha Grogan, M.D.
Poor oral health — not regularly brushing or flossing — is unlikely to be the primary cause of heart disease. But poor oral health combined with other risk factors may contribute to heart disease.
Bacteria on your teeth and gums could travel through your bloodstream and attach to fatty plaques in your arteries (atherosclerosis), making the plaques become more swollen (inflamed). If one of the plaques bursts and causes a blood clot to form, you can have a heart attack or stroke.
It's possible that swelling in gums leads to swelling in other parts of your body, including your arteries. This swelling can also contribute to heart disease.
Regardless of whether you have heart disease, it's important to take care of your teeth and gums. Steps to good oral hygiene include:
- Brushing your teeth at least twice daily
- Flossing your teeth daily
- Replacing your toothbrush at least every three months
- Getting regular dental checkups, as recommended by your dentist
- Friedewald VE, et al. The American Journal of Cardiology and Journal of Periodontology editors' consensus: Periodontitis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Journal of Periodontology. 2009;80:1021.
- Gum disease links to heart disease and stroke. American Academy of Periodontology. http://www.perio.org/consumer/mbc.heart.htm. Accessed June 21, 2010.
- Humphrey LL, et al. Periodontal disease and coronary heart disease incidence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2008;23:2079.
- Mustapha IZ, et al. Markers of systemic bacterial exposure in periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Periodontology. 2007;78:2289.
- Cleaning your teeth and gums. American Dental Association. http://www.ada.org/2624.aspx#. Accessed June 23, 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on