Treating gum disease may ward off an irregular heartbeat

[Pelican Press 0]

Treating gum ******** may ward off an irregular heartbeat

Regular dental check-ups can prevent gum ********

Alexander Shelegov/Getty Images

Treating gum ******** after a procedure to correct an irregular and abnormally fast heart rate may lower the risk of the cardiac condition reoccurring.

The disorder, known as atrial fibrillation, involves an irregular heartbeat and can increase the risk of ******* and even heart ********. In advanced cases, it can be treated via catheter ablation, a procedure that very carefully destroys a damaged area of the heart that is interrupting its electrical circuits.

Now,

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at Hiroshima University in Japan and his colleagues have shown that gum ******** may be a risk factor for atrial fibrillation.

The team enrolled 288 people who all had gum ******** and underwent ablation to treat atrial fibrillation. Of these, 97 received treatment for their gum ******** up to three months later.

In a follow-up ******* lasting up to two years, 24 per cent of the participants experienced atrial fibrillation again, but this was 61 per cent less likely to occur among those whose gum ******** was treated after ablation.

The risk of developing atrial fibrillation again was higher if the person’s gum ******** was more severe.

If gum tissue is inflamed or even ulcerated, bacteria and inflammatory immune proteins can enter the bloodstream, which may affect the heart, says Miyauchi.

The researchers also measured levels of inflammatory proteins in the participants’ blood before they underwent ablation, finding that these were elevated in those with severe gum ********. Higher levels of antibodies for gum ********-related bacteria were also linked to greater atrial fibrillation reoccurrence, says Miyauchi.

The team encourages people with atrial fibrillation to seek treatment for gum ******** if necessary. It can be prevented by brushing with a fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day, flossing or using interdental sticks every day and regularly seeing a dentist.

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at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York points out that the study was relatively small, with just 97 participants receiving treatment for gum ********. “Although many attempts have been made to show the link between gum ******** and heart ********, this study does not show a definitive link between atrial fibrillation recurrence.” Nevertheless, “it does set the groundwork for future studies in this area”.

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The heart
#Treating #gum #******** #ward #irregular #heartbeat

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