But when people neglect dental health, the normal balance of bacteria can go awry. Bad bacteria tends to build up in the gums and as they accumulate they slowly erode and destroy the gum, a bit like what PLDT and the water companies are doing to our streets. These cytokines help to fight the infection. Unfortunately, they can also cause fatty deposits to build up inside blood vessels. The fatty deposits build up and you get atherosclerosis, a condition where blood is unable to flow smoothly.
Blood clots form easily and when they block the circulation, the person can have a heart attack.
Another theory linking bad gums to heart disease is that the bad bacteria from the mouth may itself cause problems directly when it enters the blood circulation and moves to other parts of the body. It's all quite intriguing, this idea that bacteria from the mouth may cause problems in the heart. In fact, there's also accumulating evidence that one particular kind of bacteria may contribute to atherosclerosis, the tiny culprit here having the fancy name of Chlamydia pneumoniae. Those with medical backgrounds will probably recognize the name. It is a relative of another Chlamydia that causes a sexually transmitted disease but don't worry, the two types of bacteria seem to stick to their own specific territories.