February is American Heart Health Month and is used to address the fact that heart disease remains the number one killer in the United States for both men and women.   Did you know that there is a direct correlation between heart health and gum disease?  Although, many factors can be taken into account such as getting older or having a family history of heart disease, gum disease should be evaluated because leaving it untreated can cause serious heart problems.  When gums are swollen and bleed this is a sign of gum disease and the bacteria from infected gums can dislodge, enter the bloodstream, attach to blood vessels and may also trigger clot formation.

Here at Nicollet Station Dental, we pay particular attention to the health of the gum tissues. Gum (periodontal) disease is generally a painless disease until its later stages, so many patients don’t know they have a problem until permanent damage has occurred. We will make sure your gums will be thoroughly examined at each cleaning and comprehensive exam appointment.

As a general rule, most patients should have a dental cleaning every six months. Regular cleanings make a huge difference in preventing gum disease and cavities.
Sometimes using an ultrasonic cleaner is a big help. For our patients who build up calculus  (tartar) more readily or who don’t care for the hand scaling, this instrument can be of great assistance. If a patient has gum disease, we can usually treat the condition right in our office!