If You <3 Your Heart, Talk to Your Dentist About Thrombosis and Periodontal Disease

People at risk for heart disease benefit from regular visits to the dentist. Here’s what you need to know regarding oral health and vascular diseases. 

When singers croon about having the kind of smile to take a person’s breath away, they’re probably not referencing the relationship between periodontal disease and venous thromboembolism (VTE). 

However, that’s the tune I have been singing to my patients—particularly those at increased risk of vascular disease. 

One of our goals as dentists is to help people make the connection between their oral health and their systemic health. You can look in the mirror and say, “I brush my teeth, I floss, I’m fine,” but you need regular checkups to see below the surface. 

This is particularly true for people at risk of cardiovascular conditions like VTE. VTE blocks the flow of blood and oxygen to tissues and organs and is one of the causes of pulmonary embolism, a potentially fatal block of oxygen to the lungs. VTE also includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a clot in a vein deep in the body, which kills about 100,000 Americans each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.1 

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a potential but rare complication of oral surgery. DVT risk factors in oral surgeries is less than 1 percent compared to 10-40 percent for hospital surgeries. DVT occurs when a blood clot forms in veins that are either injured or the blood flowing through them is too slow after surgery.

• In most cases, DVT affects veins in the legs but can also occur in other parts of the body. 

• Deep vein thrombosis symptoms can include leg swelling and pain, tenderness, cramping, or soreness originating in the calf, skin color changes (red or purple), and warmth in the affected area. Sometimes, there are no symptoms.

• To diagnose DVT, a doctor may order tests. A blood test measures the level of the chemical D-Dimer, which is frequently high when blood clots are forming.  A leg ultrasound — lower extremity non-invasive test (LENI), looks for blood flow in the veins and may find a clot. A complete blood count (CBC) determines how many of each type of blood cell is in the blood and can identify signs of problems related to clotting.6

• When DVT happens, it can be dangerous and even deadly. If a piece of the clot breaks away and travels through the veins into the lungs, it can cause a blockage called pulmonary embolism.2

• The initial treatment for DVT is a category of medications commonly known as blood thinners. These anticoagulant drugs target certain blood proteins to prevent new blood clots from forming and help unwanted clots become smaller.

Research shows that the association between periodontal disease and VTE comes down to inflammation.² Inflamed gums release certain proteins into the body that are associated with heart disease, pulmonary embolism, and stroke. ³, the inflammatory bacteria released by periodontitis, or gum disease, can increase a person’s risk of VTE by 30%.⁴

When I meet patients for the first time at my practice, Sahara Modern Dentistry, in Las Vegas, Nevada, we talk about their medical and family history. We also discuss how bacteria in the mouth don’t stay in the mouth; they travel through the body, where they can cause a lot of damage. 

Helping patients understand that connection empowers them to take their health into their own hands. While there are several risk factors associated with VTE, preventing and treating gum disease can go a long way to protecting oneself against this potentially fatal condition. 

However, when my patients already have multiple medical appointments, they’re exhausted. They think they don’t have the energy or time for dental appointments. We hope to connect the dots for them: periodontal disease is a chronic condition requiring regular treatment. Moreover, preventing periodontal disease requires regular visits, like preventing heart disease or anything else.  

Doing so is worth the effort. We have had some patients who could get off of some of their heart medications by being consistent with their dental appointments. It’s rewarding for us as dentists and empowering for the patients. 

As a bonus, maintaining your oral health is a fairly low-cost and easy thing to do. No scales, fad diets, or medications are involved. 

So, What Does This Mean to You?

Prevention is the key to overall health, as with all conditions.5  Therefore, just like you go to the cardiologist to check your heart health, you should also go to the dentist to check your periodontal health. 

So, the next time you want to show your heart a little love, make an appointment with your dentist. You could end up with a smile to make hearts melt and make your own heart a little healthier. 

1. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2013). Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism: Prevention and management. PMC3757890. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3757890/#:~:text=In%20the%20absence%20of%20prophylaxis,development%20of%20DVT%20and%20PE
2. Mayo Clinic. (2021). Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) - Symptoms and causes. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/deep-vein-thrombosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352557
3. Cleveland Clinic. (2021). Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16911-deep-vein-thrombosis-dvt
4. MedlinePlus. (2022). D-dimer test. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/d-dimer-test/
5. Harvard Health Publishing. (2021). Deep vein thrombosis: An overview. Harvard Health Blog. Retrieved from https://health.harvard.edu/deep-vein-thrombosis-overview
6. Penn Medicine. (2021). Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Retrieved from https://pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/deep-vein-thrombosis