There have been numerous reports over the last few months about what causes some people to have mild Covid symptoms, while for others the effects are much more serious.

One of the studies which caught our attention was recently published, outlining a link between people developing serious complications, including requiring a ventilator, if they had advanced gum disease. This may come as no surprise to anyone who reads our frequent blogs on the links between poor dental health and a higher likelihood to develop heart disease, have a stroke or develop Alzheimer’s disease. They have outlined how your mouth is a very good indicator of what else is going on in your body.

Over 500 patients were examined in the research and the most shocking finding was that people with severe gum disease were up to nine times more likely to die from Covid-19. It also found that patients with the oral disease were nearly five times more likely to need assisted ventilation. We are approaching almost four and a half million cases of Covid-19 in the UK and with almost 90% of the population having gum disease in some form (including very mild cases) this study truly does cause concern.

We have written many articles in the past about preventing gum disease and protecting your oral health, you can read one here, and this report adds yet another reason to make sure you take every precaution to prevent gum disease. Quite often the first sign you are developing gum disease is noticing blood when you brush your teeth or suddenly developing bad breath. If you notice either of these signs please call us to book an appointment with Annette or Maryam who will carry out a deep cleaning of your teeth and gums and give you advice on a dental health regime which can stop any further issues developing.

Of course, the best way to prevent gum disease developing in the first place is to brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes, use interdental brushes or floss to get between the teeth and have regular check-ups and hygiene appointments.