Dental medicine's Gian Pietro Schincaglia discusses health impacts of poor oral hygiene

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Real Simple: Gian Pietro Schincaglia, professor and chair of the Department of Periodontics at the School of Dental Medicine, said gum disease increases the body's chronic inflammatory burden, which can worsen conditions such as diabetes, atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's. He noted inflammation from poor oral health may also raise the risk of dangerous blood clots in people with existing cardiovascular disease.