Vitamins & Minerals

The recent Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health confirms the importance of oral health to total health.

Premature, Low-Birthweight Babies- Studies have found that expectant mothers with periodontal (gum) disease are seven times more likely to deliver premature, low-birthweight babies than women who don't have the disease.

Heart Disease- Cardiovascular disease affects 57 million people in the U.S. and kills almost a million people each year. Recent studies have shown that a patient with periodontal (gum) disease is twice as likely to develop heart disease as one without the condition.

Oral Cancer- Oral cancer is more common than leukemia; skin melanoma; Hodgkin's disease; and cancers of the brain, liver, bone, thyroid gland, stomach ovaries, and cervix; and is typically caused by long-term use of tobacco products and alcohol. One of the most important parts of a regular oral health exam is a thorough oral cancer screening.

Diabetes- Periodontal (gum) disease is one of the major complications of diabetes. In fact, approximately 95 percent of American's who suffer from diabetes also have periodontal disease.