Tooth Loss Associated With Higher Risk for Heart Disease

Reason for link between teeth, gums and heart health is still unclear, researcher says

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- For adults, losing teeth is bad enough, but tooth loss is also associated with several risk factors for heart disease, a large international study suggests.

These heart disease-related risk factors include diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and smoking.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from nearly 16,000 people in 39 countries who provided information about their remaining number of teeth and the frequency of gum bleeds. About 40 percent of the participants had fewer than 15 teeth and 16 percent had no teeth, while 25 percent reported gum bleeds.

For every decrease in the number of teeth, there was an increase in the levels of a harmful enzyme that promotes inflammation and hardening of the arteries. The study authors also noted that along with fewer teeth came increases in other heart disease risk markers, including "bad" LDL cholesterol levels and higher blood sugar, blood pressure and waist size.

People with fewer teeth were also more likely to have diabetes, with the risk increasing 11 percent for every significant decrease in the number of teeth, the investigators found.

Being a current or former smoker was also linked to tooth loss, according to the study scheduled for presentation Saturday at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), in San Francisco.

Gum bleeds were associated with higher levels of bad cholesterol and blood pressure.

Because this study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

The researchers added that it is still unclear what is behind the association between tooth loss, gum health and heart health.

"Whether periodontal disease actually causes coronary heart disease remains to be shown. It could be that the two conditions share common risk factors independently," Dr. Ola Vedin, from the department of medical sciences at Uppsala University in Sweden, said in an ACC news release. "Those who believe that a causal relationship exists propose several theories, including systemic inflammation, the presence of bacteria in the blood from infected teeth and bacteria invading coronary plaques."

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Tooth Loss Associated With Higher Risk for Heart Disease

Title: Tooth Loss Associated With Higher Risk for Heart Disease
Category: Health News
Created: 3/7/2013 12:36:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 3/8/2013 12:00:00 AM

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What You Need to Know About Tooth Whiteners

Achieve a whiter, brighter smile with the right product for you.

Everyone loves a dazzling smile. That's why so many of us reach for the tooth whiteners when our teeth start to look yellow.

Common foods and drinks -- such as coffee, red wine, and berries -- and, of course, smoking, cause teeth to stain and lose their brightness. The effects are often exaggerated as we age, says Mark Wolff, DDS, and professor at NYU College of Dentistry. Wear and tear creates etchings on the tooth surface, "making teeth more susceptible to stains," he says. That's why you might notice that foods you've been eating for years discolor your teeth more these days.

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Teeth whiteners, sold by dentists and drugstores, use a form of peroxide (hydrogen and carbamide are the most common) of varying strengths to oxidize (or eat away) the tooth's color particles to brighten smiles. The concentration of peroxide in store-bought kits ranges from 3% to 10%; in professional-grade whiteners (available in your dentist's office), it runs as high as 40%.

Professional whiteners are generally more effective than those sold over the counter, but not just because the concentration of peroxide used is higher. Wolff says that whitening trays made by dentists are molded especially for your mouth, keeping bleaching solutions in close contact with the tooth's surface. This enhances the whitening effect and increases safety by minimizing the amount of peroxide that contacts the gums or is swallowed.

The personalized fit will cost you. Professional whitening systems range from $400 to $800, compared with $25 to $100 for products you buy in the store.

OTC whiteners can be a good option and don’t necessarily mean poorer quality, Wolff says. Whitening strips are your best bet because they adhere reasonably well to the tooth surface, particularly on the top teeth, keeping gel where it can best penetrate enamel.

White teeth are alluring, but keep expectations in check. "There's only a finite color change you can achieve," Wolff says. Two or three shades lighter than your current color is reasonable. And be sure to follow instructions. Overdoing whitening efforts can harm tooth structure, leading to translucent, see-through teeth that appear blue or gray.

"Everything in moderation," Wolff says.

Wolff says transforming a dull smile into a bright one can be done safely and effectively with the following precautions:

Beware of tooth sensitivity. Tooth and gum sensitivity is a common side effect of teeth whiteners. "You don't want to use the strongest and fastest [solution] because it comes with the most side effects," Wolff says. 

Watch bonding and veneers. If you have bonding or veneers on your teeth, whiten before having dental work done, or skip it altogether. "These don't whiten with bleaching agents," he says. Restorations will maintain their original color while the teeth around them lighten. The end result is a multicolored smile.

Choose whitening strips. OTC whitening strips are a better bet than store-bought trays. "The trays tend to be loose, and so, don't provide a high enough concentration [of solution] to really do the job of bleaching," Wolff says.

Skip whiteners if you have gum disease.  Whiteners can accelerate gum deterioration, so talk with your dentist about alternate ways to brighten your smile.

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Tooth Whitening at Home

By Maria Ricapito
WebMD Magazine - Feature

Your teeth can get stained when dark foods (such as beets and berries), drinks (think colas and tea), or substances in cigarette smoke stick to plaque or tartar on the surface of your teeth. 

Such substances can also seep into tooth enamel, Gerard Kugel, DMD, says. Your tooth enamel also thins with age, exposing the yellowish surface (called dentin) underneath.

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Read the Lip Color: Gloss, Stain, Lipstick, Balm, and More article > >

Getting your teeth professionally whitened, under the care of your dentist, is the most effective way to whiten your smile. But you can also do it at home. 

If you decide to try it on your own, Kugel recommends looking for a product with hydrogen or carbamide peroxide, both of which penetrate tooth enamel and lighten stains. He finds strips and trays to be the most effective for overall whitening. That's because real results, he says, depend on a higher concentration of peroxide and how long it's on the teeth. 

However, whitening this way could make your teeth more sensitive, Kugel says. If so, he suggests using whitening products only every other day or use sensitive-formula toothpaste.

Drugstore trays aren't customized to your bite, so they can put some peroxide on your gums. This can be irritating but doesn't appear to be harmful, Kugel says. He finds over-the-counter strips are better at placing peroxide squarely on the teeth.

Whitening may backfire if you have visible bonding or fillings. They're matched to your teeth and can't be lightened by peroxide. Thus the downside of DIY whiteners -- their lack of speed -- is also a plus: "If you go slow, you can whiten your teeth just enough," Kugel says.

What about other drugstore products that say "whitening" on the label? Kugel gives the lowdown:

Brushing it off. Whitening toothpastes have mild abrasives that remove superficial stains trapped in plaque, taking you a few shades lighter but very slowly.

Getting liquid. Mouthwashes are better for fresh breath; they have low levels of peroxide and are on teeth only for the seconds it takes to swish. You won't get much, if any, whitening action.

Stringing it along. Floss might attack between-teeth stains, but "there is very little data about whether it whitens teeth," Kugel says. "It's just cleaning your teeth well," which, nevertheless, is always a good thing.

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