Heart attack is among the biggest health concern affecting the human race, accounting for a number of deaths.
Bleeding gums could expose you to risks of heart attacks, notes Dr Steve Kerrigan from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland.
Minor incisions (bleeding gum) in your mouth allow entry of bacteria into the bloodstream which bind on the platelets that are known to enhance blood clotting process.
Bacteria block platelets from performing their biological functions hence preventing the flow of blood to the heart which can, in turn, cause heart attacks.
"If you have an open blood vessel from bleeding gums, bacteria will gain entry to your bloodstream. When bacteria get into the bloodstream they encounter tiny fragments called platelets that clot blood when you get a cut. By sticking to the platelets bacteria cause them to clot inside the blood vessel, partially blocking it. This prevents the blood flow back to the heart and we run the risk of suffering a heart attack," explains Kerrigan, as quoted by Science Daily.
Professor Howard Jenkinson from the University of Bristol on his part notes that cardiovascular scourge is a major cause of concern caused by a bacterial infection and poor oral hygiene
"Cardiovascular disease is currently the biggest killer in the western world. Oral bacteria such as Streptococcus gordonii and Streptococcus sanguinis are common infecting agents, and we now recognise that bacterial infections are an independent risk factor for heart diseases," notes Jenkinson.
"In other words it doesn't matter how fit, slim or healthy you are, you're adding to your chances of getting heart disease by having bad teeth," he adds.