Health Tip of the Week, sponsored by Baton Rouge General: Oral care and heart health—what’s the connection?

Skipping regular dental visits can lead to much more than another cavity. That’s because bacteria in the mouth can cause tooth decay and infection that can spread to other parts of your body like your heart, and could lead to heart conditions and put you at a higher risk of heart attack or stroke. If you have an infected tooth, for example, that bacteria can travel through the bloodstream and if it makes it to your heart, can cause infective endocarditis, which is an infection of the inner lining of the heart. Learn more about your teeth and heart.