February is HEART & DENTAL HEALTH MONTH! DR.Brian Snyder talks about the importance of Dentistry Heart conditions & Dental health go hand in hand. Dr. Snyder as a General Dentist encourages patients to have regular dental check ups every 6 months if there is not gum disease, however, if gum disease is present patient is recommended to have more frequent check ups. What is the connection between heart and mouth? Since our mouth is connected to the rest of our body, infections that start there, don't stay there. In other words the state of our dental health can contribute to the health of our overall health including our hearts. Up to 91% of patients with heart disease have gum disease, which is an infection of the tissue surrounding the gums. caused by constant build-up of plaque on the teeth." Dr. Snyder adds, " both gum disease and heart disease share many risk factors including smoking, diabetes, unhealthy diet and obesity."