Burnsville Dentist

To floss or not, that is the question of the day!  Check our Dr. Holm's website www.myburnsvilledentist.com

Something to think about while you are flossing tonight! (Or Not????) • The Surgeon General reported that 80 percent of the adult population has some form of gum disease. • Reader’s Digest reported on an 18-year study which concluded that people with gum disease were twice as likely to die from a heart attack and three times more likely to die from a stroke. • Periodontal disease wreaks havoc on blood sugar levels, resulting in a significant role in our country’s Diabetic crisis. If you have diabetes and your gums bleed, your chances of dying can increase 400 to 700 percent. • More than 30,000 Americans are expected to lose their lives to pancreatic cancer this year. Periodontal disease appears to be strongly linked to pancreatic cancer, according to a Harvard study on 63,000 male health care professionals, where a 62 percent increase in pancreatic cancer was shown in those who had periodontal disease. Now you know why we at the office may sometimes seem like zealots about bleeding gums! When I was in dental school in the mid 1980’s, we actually thought bleeding gums were NORMAL, because every patient seemed to have them! Now we know that was really just a reflection of a seriously UNDER- Diagnosed DISEASE! (I feel many other dental practices are “asleep at the wheel” as far as vigilance in the gum health department.) I personally think this is why God made blood RED- to act as a warning sign! Now you know why we check every single spot around your gumline, every time you come in! Best regards, Dr. Nancy Holm