Make any resolutions to be healthier this year? Even if you didn’t, you might not be surprised to hear from us that a healthier you this year could start with having healthier gums, and teeth.
Avoiding gum disease entirely, or even reducing its symptoms, might be the best thing you can do for your health in 2025.
We talk a lot about the health risks associated with periodontal disease – aka gum disease. Why? Because it’s connected with many serious diseases such as diabetes, dementia, heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems. When you keep your gums healthy, you can also reduce your risk from other diseases.
And now it seems that having healthier gums can also help lower your risk of glaucoma.
New studies suggest that the infection and inflammation linked to gum disease can travel between your mouth and your eyes. The inflammation that originates from gum disease increases pressure in the eye which can begin to damage the eye’s optic nerve.
This month is considered National Glaucoma Awareness Month, so what better time to be aware of Glaucoma and understand the connection between the health of your gums and the health of your eyes.
What is Glaucoma?
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.
People over the age of 40 are at a greater risk for developing glaucoma, and it’s one of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60. Because it has no symptoms in its earliest stages, most people aren’t aware they have it, unless they test for it. Currently, over 3 million Americans have it, but only about 50% of people with this disease even know they have it.
There is no cure (yet) for glaucoma, but if it’s caught early, there are options to help preserve your vision and prevent vision loss – this may include a combination of diet, exercise, eye drops, laser therapy or other treatments, and taking better care of your gums!
Get Your Eye Pressure Checked
Having glaucoma is serious, but getting it detected early can save your vision. A routine eye examination can identify glaucoma early with a comprehensive dilated eye exam, so if there are any signs of high eye pressure a treatment plan can begin as early as possible.
Keep Your Gums Healthy + Fight Back Against Gum Disease
The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) says that over 40% of Americans aged 30 years or over already have some stage of gum disease.
Fortunately, gum disease can be prevented, and it can be stopped. There are a few things you can do, and there are some things your friendly North Seattle dentists can do to help you fight back against gum disease.
Learn more about gum disease, its symptoms + how to treat it!
While we can’t examine your eyes for Glaucoma, we can definitely help keep your gums and teeth healthy. We’ll review the health of your gums and, based on the level of your gum disease, we’ll help you develop a treatment plan to eliminate it, or help you effectively manage it.
If you believe you have gum disease, please call us at (206) 524-1000 to schedule an exam and consultation, or request your appointment online.
P.S. Are You at Risk for Gum Disease? A Deep Teeth Cleaning Could Help!