In recognition of American Heart Month, WomenHeart: The National Coalition For Women With Heart Disease and Colgate Total toothpaste are cosponsoring the Heartwarming Smiles campaign -- an initiative to help educate U.S. about the impact proper oral care can have on their heart health.
Heartwarming Smiles will focus on empowering women by providing the knowledge and tools needed to make positive lifestyle changes to help reduce their risk of heart disease, according to Colgate. The campaign's online resource is specifically designed to encourage women to engage their physician in discussing their overall health and the simple changes they can make to help reduce the risk of heart disease and improve their oral care.
Recent research shows that poor oral health, specifically severe gum disease, is often associated with the development of cardiovascular disease. There is an increasing need for patients to have open lines of communication with their dentists and physicians. A national survey revealed that 53% of people surveyed with primary care physicians reported that their doctors have never discussed oral health during appointments.
Similarly, more than a third (35%) of people surveyed stated that despite visiting the dental office, their dentists have never discussed issues beyond dental health in their appointments.
The survey also found the following:
While the majority of Americans understand that exercise (84%) or diet (82%) can impact their heart health, far fewer people (53%) believe that proper oral care could also have an effect on their heart health.
More women than men (59% versus 48%, respectively) understand that when they take care of their teeth, they are taking care of their hearts; yet women are much less likely than men (17% versus 21%, respectively) to put most of their energy into good oral care routines over other lifestyle modifications, such as exercise and diet.
Fewer than two in five (35%) Americans ages 18-24 are sure of the link between their dental habits and a healthy heart, compared to 56% of those who are 25 and older.
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