You have probably seen or heard something in the media pertaining to heart disease. This is because the American Heart Association and the medical community designate February as a month to raise awareness for heart disease. Although we provide excellent dental care at Dental Impressions, we also care about your general health too. In honor of Heart Health Awareness month, we would like to encourage our community to take a proactive stance when it comes to heart health.
Heart Disease Prevalence
- For both men and women, heart disease is the number one fatal illness in the United States.
- One out of every four people in our country will develop heart disease.
- About 700,000 people in the U.S. will suffer from their first heart attack this year.
- Most heart attacks occur outside of a hospital.
- The most common form of heart-related illness is coronary disease
Misconceptions and Myths About Heart Disease
- Chest pain is always the sign of a heart attack – Although chest pain is the most common symptom, some heart attacks occur without this symptom present. Other symptoms include sudden fatigue, dizziness, and neck pain.
- Only older people have to worry about their heart health – While most heart attacks afflict people over the age of 50, teenagers and young adults can have heart attacks too. It is never too early to be concerned about heart health.
- All fats are bad for you – Contrary to popular opinion, some fats are actually good for you. Unsaturated fats with a high omega 3 content contain heart healthy fats and antioxidants. Examples of healthy fats include olive oil, fish oil, almonds, and avocados.
Prevention
We encourage our patients to incorporate regular cardiovascular exercise into their lives. Fitness walking, swimming, cycling, and jogging are great forms of exercise that strengthen your heart. We advise our patients to eat a balanced diet with plenty of whole grains, fiber, and nutrient-rich vegetables too. Patients should also reduce their saturated fat intake as it contributes to high cholesterol.
Dr. Amanda Foust and our team at Dental Impressions invite our patients to discuss their overall health with us—especially our patients who currently have heart disease. To schedule an appointment at our Ankeny dentist office, contact us at (515) 965-0230. We serve patients from Elkhart, Bondurant, Alleman, Polk City, and the surrounding areas near Ankeny.
