Health Chat

Kiran Bhagat | Monday April 26, 2010 00:00

What does dental health have to do with heart disease? I've heard that gum infections raise your heart disease risk. True? 

Answer Yes, recent research suggests that the bacteria that cause gum infections can also lead to or worsen atherosclerosis, the arterial disease that leads to heart attacks and strokes.

A study published in the February 8, 2005 issue of the American Heart Association Journal Circulation found that people with the highest level of the bacteria that cause gum disease also had the worst atherosclerosis.

They compared levels of oral bacteria to ultrasound measurements of the thickness of the carotid arteries that carry blood to the brain. They found that the association between oral bacteria and atherosclerosis existed only when they looked at the specific bacteria that cause gum disease, not all the bugs found in the mouth.

Infections that lead to gum disease usually are long-standing. The researchers explained that if the causative bacteria aren't eliminated or reduced, they trigger an inflammatory response that promotes a gradual thickening of artery walls throughout the body. To avoid this, you need regular dental checkups so that any gum disease can be identified and treated promptly. When infections are found, the treatment is deep cleaning of the gums often followed by local antibiotics to eliminate bacteria.

And, of course, it is vital to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss daily to avoid the buildup of small amounts of food that attract and nourish bacteria.

Are You Getting Enough Sleep?I've heard before that lack of sleep is connected with obesity, but I was surprised to hear that it also is linked to smoking, drinking alcohol and not being physically active.

Answer Lack of sleep does appear to be associated with obesity - one theory is that sleep deprivation disrupts production of hormones that regulate appetite.

But findings from a door-to-door government survey of 87,000 US adults from 2004 through 2006 suggests that those who get the least sleep are also more likely to put their health at risk by smoking cigarettes, drinking too much alcohol, and not being physically active.

In the case of cigarettes and physical inactivity, this was also true for those who slept nine or more hours per night.   It doesn't prove that sleep deprivation leads to smoking or alcohol consumption - or vice versa - and it doesn't tell us what other factors might influence these risky health habits.

In some cases, depression or stress could be the underlying reasons for not getting enough sleep and for drinking. But the findings are striking. Here's a summary:

Smoking: Of those who slept seven to eight hours a night only 18 percent were smokers compared to 31 percent of those who slept less than six hours and 26 percent of those who slept more than nine hours.

Alcohol: Adults who got the least sleep were slightly more likely to have had five or more drinks in one day than those who got seven to eight hours, but here, the difference was only three percent: 19 percent of those who had a good night's sleep had five or more drinks a day compared to 22 percent of those who slept six hours or less.

Obesity: The rate of obesity was highest (33 percent) among those who slept less than six hours and lowest (22 percent) among those who slept seven to eight hours a night. This held true for both men and women regardless of age.

Adequate sleep is key to a healthy lifestyle, and accumulating research suggests that it plays an even larger role in health than we once thought. There is more to learn about this subject.

Meanwhile, if you're not getting seven to eight hours sleep per night, based on what we now know, it might benefit your weight - and your overall health - to strive for more slumber.manager@hfb.org.bw