What can cause heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke?

• A. Bacteria that lives in your mouth
• B. Sugar and starch in diet
• C. Gum recession
• D. Bad dental sealants

Answer: (A)

Oral bacteria and the inflammation they trigger can influence cardiovascular health. When gums are infected, bacteria can enter the bloodstream during everyday activities like brushing or chewing. This bacteremia brings inflammatory agents into the vessels, promoting atherosclerosis and harming endothelial function. The resulting vascular changes can raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, and can contribute to higher blood pressure over time.

Dietary sugars and starches do raise risk by contributing to obesity and diabetes, which are major risk factors for these conditions, but they’re not a direct trigger for all three in the same way. Local dental issues like gum recession or bad dental sealants are less connected to systemic heart and blood vessel disease.