Question:
Everything I have read on the subject seems to suggest that somehow the
mouth bacteria leak into the blood stream through the inflamed gums.
The bacteria then somehow cause inflammation in the heart. Sounds
specious to me.
I suggest that the explanation may be much simpler. We know that high
carb diets are associated with heart disease. Well, at least we know
that high carb can lead to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes over
time, and that diabetes is a significant risk factor for heart disease.
What if gum disease is merely a side effect of the high carb diet? With
all those carbs sloshing around in your mouth, dental bacteria have a
field day. It doesn't even have to be sugar. Enzymes in your mouth can
turn starch into sugar in no time flat.
So heart disease and gum disease aren't linked directly, but are merely
two side effects of high carb diet.
Sound plausible?
Answer:
I don't know if this is really related or not, but I have had ZERO
canker sores since low carbing. I got back on the carbs and boom I had
one pop up.
Sure its possible. I would suspect, however, that if there is a
correlation, that low levels of vitamin C would be the main connection.
That's the way it works in people who have a heart murmur. The valves
don't completely close between heartbeats, and the blood with bacteria
can backwash to the heart and cause massive infection, but not what
is generally called "heart disease." People with a heart murmur have
to take antibiotics when they have dental work done, for this reason,
and an infected tooth could be deadly for them.
If people have properly working valves, the returning blood is filtered
by your kidneys (or is it both liver and kidneys) before it goes back
to the heart.
I know plenty of people on high-carb diets, who don't have gum disease.
The only people I know with gum disease were ones who just plain refused
to see a dentist for 10 or more years.
I know a lot of people who have receding gums when they start reaching middle
age. Receding gums are easily infected. People who reach middle age are also
short on CoQ10 - the body stops producing it. People who take it in supplement
form have found it helps both their heart and gums.
