Thirty years in the past, once I began associating periodontal illness to cardiovascular threat, different dentists advised me I used to be overstepping.
“Keep in your lane,” they mentioned.
However I stored seeing the identical sample.
Sufferers with gum illness usually had hypertension, AFib, valve points—or worse.
A long time later, the analysis confirms what I’d been seeing in my chair.
A 2024 umbrella evaluate by Arbildo-Vega et al. analyzed 41 systematic critiques and located that periodontal illness raises cardiovascular threat. (Supply)
Much more essential: A 2024 meta-analysis by Meng et al. discovered that treating gum illness lowers CRP and IL-6, two key markers of irritation that drive coronary heart threat. (Supply)
That is reversible irritation that your heart specialist is measuring in your blood with out understanding the place it’s coming from.
Coronary heart illness kills one American each 33 seconds. It’s the main reason behind dying on this nation.
To shut that hole, I created the Doctor-Dentist CRP Letter.
I’ve made it free. Hundreds of sufferers have used it to attach their care groups and catch irritation that was being missed.
→ Obtain the CRP Letter right here
→ Discover ways to use the CRP letter right here
However if you wish to go additional and actively decrease irritation, you want a plan that targets the basis trigger within the mouth.
Over time I’ve refined what I name the Mouth–Coronary heart Protocol—a easy, evidence-informed framework for supporting oral and cardiovascular well being. It’s the identical method I used to make use of with sufferers in my non-public apply within the Silicon Valley to assist them management irritation and shield their hearts.
It’s not medical recommendation; please use this alongside together with your healthcare staff!
The Mouth–Coronary heart Protocol
These steps assist you to management irritation at its supply—the mouth—and assist your cardiovascular system. Academic solely. Talk about together with your healthcare staff earlier than making modifications.
1. Get a Excessive-Sensitivity CRP Take a look at
Ask your doctor to run this irritation marker. A end result above 1.0 mg/L usually factors to hidden irritation, together with gum illness.
2. Use the Doctor–Dentist CRP Letter
Give one copy to your physician and one to your dentist to allow them to coordinate care and interpret CRP ends in context. Most physicians don’t understand gum irritation can elevate CRP.
3. Swap to three–4 Month Cleanings
Quarterly cleanings stop recurring irritation and decrease systemic load.
4. Discover a Dentist Who Treats Complete-Physique Well being
Select a supplier who understands how oral irritation impacts cardiovascular and metabolic operate. Use the Purposeful Dentist Listing to search out one.
5. Optimize Your Airway
If you happen to snore, wake unrefreshed, or have blood stress that’s exhausting to regulate, ask a couple of sleep airway analysis from an AADSM dentist (discover one right here). Sleep apnea worsens cardiovascular irritation.
6. Examine Present Root Canals
Failed or contaminated root canals can drive power irritation. Have them reviewed with a 3D cone beam scan each few years.
7. Rebuild Your Oral Microbiome
Assist useful micro organism that shield your gums and blood vessels:
- Drink inexperienced tea each day for catechins that scale back dangerous micro organism, assist nitric oxide manufacturing, and enhance vascular operate (hyperlink to the one I drink)
- Use a prebiotic toothpaste with nano-hydroxyapatite (hyperlink to the one I exploit)
- Chew xylitol gum after meals
- Scrape your tongue each day (hyperlink to the one I exploit)
- Keep away from mouthwash—it destroys useful micro organism
8. Assist Irritation Management with Diet
Key vitamins that preserve gum and cardiovascular well being:
Each your dentist and physician needs to be monitoring your oral irritation as aggressively as they monitor your ldl cholesterol.
You deserve built-in care.
Mark
Additional Studying & Listening
The Three I’s: Damage, An infection, and Irritation
A breakdown of the organic mechanism connecting gum illness to systemic irritation. I clarify how every stage contributes to cardiovascular and metabolic threat. Learn the article
Cease Utilizing Mouthwash! (Ask the Dentist Podcast)
The surprising connection between mouthwash and hypertension. How on a regular basis oral care merchandise disrupt nitric oxide manufacturing and improve cardiovascular threat. Pay attention on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
Purposeful Dentistry with Dr. Mark Burhenne (Dr. Kara Fitzgerald’s New Frontiers in Purposeful Drugs)
I focus on the CRP letter, the oral-systemic connection, and why I began monitoring patterns between gum illness and coronary heart points in my South Asian male sufferers. Pay attention right here
Periodontal illness and heart problems: umbrella evaluate
Arbildo-Vega et al., BMC Oral Well being, October 2024
41 systematic critiques present periodontal illness raises cardiovascular threat. Learn the examine
Impact of non-surgical periodontal remedy on threat markers of heart problems
Meng et al., BMC Oral Well being, June 2024
Meta-analysis exhibiting that treating gum illness considerably lowers CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, and different inflammatory markers for at the least six months. Learn the examine
Periodontal illness and subsequent threat of cardiovascular final result and all-cause mortality
Guo et al., PLOS ONE, September 2023
Meta-analysis of 39 cohort research with over 4 million members confirming the hyperlink between periodontal illness and cardiovascular occasions. Learn the examine
Threat of incident heart problems in folks with periodontal illness
Larvin et al., Scientific and Experimental Dental Analysis, 2021
Systematic evaluate and meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort research quantifying heart problems threat in periodontal illness populations. Learn the examine
Skip the rinse, save your coronary heart (August 2025)
A landmark 2019 three-year trial exhibiting individuals who used mouthwash twice each day had dramatically larger charges of hypertension. Right here’s reverse the injury. Learn right here
What’s fallacious with mouthwash? (October 2023)
From the Mondays with Mark publication archive: Mouthwash is a waste of cash, a waste of time, and at worst—will increase blood stress by damaging your oral microbiome. Plus what to do as a substitute. Learn right here
Nitric Oxide and Oral Well being (Up to date August 2025)
The deep dive into why nitric oxide is important to cardiovascular well being, how half of it comes from micro organism on the again of your tongue, and the way mouthwash destroys this pathway. Learn right here
Interview: Why We Shouldn’t Ignore the Oral Microbiome
My dialog with an oral microbiome researcher about how oral micro organism have an effect on cardiovascular well being in actual time. Learn right here