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Gums: Your Health Warning System!

You might not have trouble thinking of healthy gums as the foundation for healthy teeth. But did you know that diseased gums are emerging as one of the leading early warning indicators for heart disease and other serious illnesses?

Gums

The American Academy of Periodontology recently found that people with periodontal disease are 2.7 times as likely to suffer a heart attack than those with healthy gums. “Allowing for factors such as age, sex, weight, cholesterol, and high blood pressure, as well as diabetes and insulin use," explained the researcher, “we found that among the sample population under age 60, gum disease was an even more important risk factor for cardiovascular disease than was high blood pressure.” It appears that the bacteria associated with gum disease can actually enter your bloodstream and affect your health.

That’s why it’s important to know what healthy gums should look like. Gums in prime condition are light pink in color (darker for people with darker complexions), are stippled like the surface of an orange, are not tender or swollen, and don't bleed when brushing or flossing.

And the best preventive maintenance? The advice you’ve heard most of your life: brush daily, floss frequently and don’t neglect those regular dental visits. You can also help with supplements like Vitamins A, C and E, and calcium.

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Dr. Mike Asks some important questions of interest to Austin residents - Chiropractor Austin Dr. Mike Asks...

Why are frequent visits advised when starting chiropractic care?
Consistent visits at the beginning of your chiropractic care help create the momentum necessary to correct and retrain unhealthy spinal patterns. Later, Austin patients find that continued care on a less frequent visit schedule can help preserve their progress and avoid a relapse.
Is a muscle spasm a cause or an effect?
With the knee-jerk use of muscle relaxers, you'd think it was a cause. But it's an effect. Chiropractors know that bones don't move unless muscles move them. And muscles don't contract unless commanded by the nervous system. That's why your nervous system is the focus of our Austin chiropractic practice.