Gum disease could increase complications with Covid 19

COVID 19 has affected many people with a varying intensity of symptoms. A recent study has shown that COVID 19 patients who also had gum disease were 4.5 times more likely to require a ventilator during their treatment. The study also found that compared to patients with healthy gums those with gum disease were nine times more likely to die during their fight with the virus. These are scary statistics, and they really highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth.

You may ask how can the two conditions be connected? Gum disease is an inflammatory disease, and the study suggested the high level of inflammatory markers in the blood of those with gum disease may be the explanation behind the increase in complications.

Many common health issues that people experience, such as diabetes and heart disease, also have proven links to poor gum health. Again, the common factor is thought to be increased inflammation in the bloodstream.

If you are worried that you may have gum disease, the best people to help are dental hygienists. Their main focus is on helping people improve their gum health by providing gum treatments and assisting them to understand how their daily activities can hinder or help their mouth health.

If you would like to see a hygienist, please give us a call on 01275 842550, we are open and Covid compliant, you don’t need to be a registered patient.