You have found a dentist and dental team offering Oral Systemic Health in Gaylord, Michigan. We are uniquely trained to minimize the effect of high-risk oral pathogens on cardiac and diabetic health. Gum disease is directly connected to heart disease.

We now know that 50% of all cardiac events have an oral pathogen at its epicenter. We now know that high-risk patients are much more likely to have a cardiac event for four weeks after a preventive dental appointment where some scaling was done as teeth are cleaned. We also know that brushing, flossing, and traditional dental hygiene cleanings… do not kill the bacteria that could potentially create a cardiac event.

Not everyone is susceptible to succumb to a negative outcome from periodontal pathogens. Dr. Harbin will recognize who high risk patients are and what specific therapies can protect them best. We provide effective therapy in the dental office and recommend specific protocols at home for routine and daily home care.

We are aware that high-risk patients are over 45 years old and have one or more of the following conditions; smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, COPD, IBS, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and sleep apnea. These patients will also have a genetic family history of heart disease, diabetes, gum disease, and or cancer. Another category of high-risk is all pregnant women. We know the incidence of premature birth, low birth weight, and preclampsia is elevated up to 30% in patients who have gums that bleed.

In summary, your dental team knows how to test for and identify each of the potentially dangerous oral pathogens any given high-risk patient may present with. In addition, we can create effective therapy to get rid of them and coach our patients how to keep them from returning. Healthy gums matter. Healthy hearts really matter. Who is supervising your dental health . . . really, really matters! Call Otsego Dental Group at (989) 448‑2664 to learn more about the important impact Oral Systemic Health can have to your well being.