Studies show that people with long-standing gum diseases are more likely to have strokes.

Bacteria from the mouth can get into blood-stream when the gums are inflamed. This bacteria can attach to platelets and  can lodge inside the wall vessels causing HEART-STOPPING clots to form. These clots are what lead to heart disease. Keeping your mouth healthy can reduce your risk for heart attack.

The bacteria that collect in your mouth are the same bacteria that can cause pneumonia and other respiratory disease. Keeping the bacteria count in your mouth as low as possible can reduce your risk for developing chronic lung problems.

The presense of any gum inflammation can make it much more difficult for a diabetic to control their blood sugar. Elimination of any oral inflammation can DIRECTLY improve diabetic control.

Women with gum disease are 7 - 8 times more likely to give birth prematurely to low birth-weight babies. Researchers believe that gum disease causes the body to release inflammatory chemicals which are linked to pre-term birth.

Links between inflammation and Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and even kidney diseases are being investigated. Patients should do whatever is necessary to eliminate inflammation anywhere in their body.