Want to keep your vision healthy this year? It starts with your teeth.
We always say that good oral health is connected to having good overall health. But now more research shows that there’s also a connection between your mouth and your eyes.
If you want to maintain good vision this year, keep an eye on the health of your gums. How? Keep your gums healthy and steer clear of gum disease! 
Glaucoma is Linked to Gum Disease
You’ve probably heard us before yacking about the importance of keeping your gums healthy. Why? Because there are many health risks associated with periodontal disease – aka gum disease. There’s a long list already of serious health issues linked to gum disease like diabetes, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems. And now glaucoma can be added to the list too.
How can it? The same bacteria that’s responsible for causing the inflammation in the gums can reach the eyes, and it can increase the pressure on the eye’s optic nerve.
So, what is glaucoma? It’s a progressive disease that affects the eye’s optic nerve. This is the nerve that transmits images and information to the brain. Over time this on-going pressure can lead to irreversible vision loss.
Early Detection Can Save Your Vision
Glaucoma is serious, but when it’s detected early it can better save your vision. Getting regular annual eye exams can help improve early detection. A routine eye examination can identify glaucoma via a comprehensive dilated eye exam. Should high eye pressure be detected a treatment plan can begin as early as possible.
While there’s no cure for glaucoma yet, there are ways to manage it and prevent vision loss, especially when it’s detected early. Some of things you can do to reduce your risk may include a combination of diet – tooth healthy foods can help your eyes – exercise, eye drops, and taking better care of your gums and oral health!
Prevent & Control Gum Disease
According to the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), more than 40% of U.S. adults aged 30 years or over have some form of gum disease, and 7.8% of those adults have severe periodontitis.
Do you have it? Check for the symptoms of gum disease + how to treat it!
We can’t examine your eyes, but we can definitely help keep your gums and teeth healthy.
Gum disease can be prevented, and it can be stopped. If you already have advanced gum disease, there are still plenty of options we can offer you to help treat it. This may include deep teeth cleanings, or using an antibiotic medication, like Arestin TM.
Don’t let gum disease ruin your health. We’re here to help. Please call us at (206) 524-1000 to schedule an exam and consultation, or request your appointment online. We’ll review the health of your gums and if you do have gum disease we’ll help you develop a treatment plan to eliminate it, or help you effectively manage it.