Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Diabetes, Heart Disease, Sleep Apnea, Diabetes and Gum Disease... the circle of diseases!!!

People with one of these diseases are highly likely to also develop at least one or more of the other diseases.
Facts:

  • Gum disease is one of the most common diseases known to man. It and affects 80 percent of the population and can lead to heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and other diseases.
  •  Diabetes currently affects 10% of the population and is on the rise. 
  • Heart disease is the leading cause of death  in the U.S. for the past 85 years. 
  • Obesity is growing in every state in the U.S.. Obesity and Sleep Apnea go hand in hand and are co-causative factors.
  • Sleep Apnea affects about 20% of the adult population ans is on the rise

What is going on with these diseases?

The body is under assault, from overeating (especially sugary and salty foods with low nutritional value), lack of exercise, Inadequate oral hygiene, and stress. Once one of these diseases get a foothold, It drags the immune system down making it more susceptible to the other diseases listed. These diseases in turn make the body more susceptible to more of the same diseases and to other diseases including Cancers.
Some people are genetically more susceptible to some of these diseases and must be more careful, but for the general population, this scenario is avoidable.

Key.

The key is proper diet, exercise, good oral hygiene, adequate rest. To see if you are at risk for any of the above conditions means seeing your dentist and physician regularly for checkups and following their recommendations.

PS This situation is the primary reason that healthcare costs are skyrocketing and may bankrupt our healthcare system in time.


We regularly screen our patients for Sleep Apnea and gum disease.

 Your comments are welcome.

Phillip C. Neal DDS
Crystal Lake Dental Associates
280 B Memorial Court
Crystal Lake, Illinois  60014
815 459 2202
www.DrNeal.com

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