chlorine dioxide

Readers of my book Virtual Medicine will know that I quoted a curious fact in the chapter called “Weird or What?” At the start of the 20th century, the number one predictor of death by heart disease was dental abscesses; and that, by the end of the 20th century, the biggest predictor of death by heart disease was… no, not exactly abscesses. But a major dental problem, gum (periodontal) infections. Now a specific bacteria has been implicated, called Streptococcus gordonii. It can enter the blood stream and increase the risk of dangerous blood clotting. It mimics the effect of fibrinogen, which is a major blood-clotting factor. Fibrinogen activates platelets (cells that are found in blood and involved in clotting), which stick together and form clumps that start the clotting process. The resulting blood clots encase the bacteria, protecting the invader from the immune system and from antibiotics used to treat infection. Platelet clumping can result in growths on the heart valves (endocarditis) or blood vessel inflammation that can block blood supply to the heart or brain. If clots take place in a major supply artery, like the coronary artery, you could be in big trouble (sudden death).

Readers of my book Virtual Medicine will know that I quoted a curious fact in the chapter called “Weird or What?” At the start of the 20th century, the number one predictor of death by heart disease was dental abscesses; and that, by the end of the 20th century, the biggest predictor of death by heart disease was… no, not exactly abscesses. But a major dental problem, gum (periodontal) infections. Now a specific bacteria has been implicated, called Streptococcus gordonii. It can enter the blood stream and increase the risk of dangerous blood clotting. It mimics the effect of fibrinogen, which is a major blood-clotting factor. Fibrinogen activates platelets (cells that are found in blood and involved in clotting), which stick together and form clumps that start the clotting process. The resulting blood clots encase the bacteria, protecting the invader from the immune system and from antibiotics used to treat infection. Platelet clumping can result in growths on the heart valves (endocarditis) or blood vessel inflammation that can block blood supply to the heart or brain. If clots take place in a major supply artery, like the coronary artery, you could be in big trouble (sudden death).