The BaleDoneen Method for the Prevention of Heart Attacks, Ischemic Strokes and Diabetes: Appreciating the Role of Oral Health.

Someone suffers a heart attack approximately every 42 seconds and someone dies from one every 83 seconds. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Strokes are the leading cause of disability. Someone suffers a stroke approximately every 40 seconds and someone dies from one every 240 seconds. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one healthcare expenditure in the United States. ¹ These statistics need to change as we now live in a wonderful era in which CVD, namely heart attacks and ischemic strokes, can be removed from the number one spot for death, disability and cost. The BaleDoneen Method (BDM) provides a guarantee for arterial wellness with the patients we treat. This is based on utilizing imaging to identify which patients have arterial disease and management of associated inflammatory conditions. In this course the technology and knowledge necessary to attach a guarantee to our work will be discussed. ² Published evidence the BDM halts, stabilizes and regresses arterial disease will be presented. ^3,4

Many common conditions that are associated with increased heart attack and stroke risk will be reviewed. ^5,6,7,8,9,10 This is information that can be added to your health history forms. Your staff can then inform the patients of their potential higher risk for heart attacks and strokes. Attendees may also discover they have some of these ‘red flags’ for higher risk. It will be explained how the obstructing object of blood flow creating a heart attack or stroke is a blood clot as opposed to disease (cholesterol build up) in the artery wall. ¹¹ The disease is usually asymptomatic right until the time a clot. This course will clearly illustrate how risk for a heart attack or stroke is more accurately determined by screening for actual disease in the wall of the artery as opposed to simply assessing a few risk factors. ¹²

Inflammation will be presented as the key stone for causing arterial disease and the trigger for heart attacks and strokes. ¹³ Many potential sources of inflammation will be briefly discussed. Periodontal disease will be focused on as a frequent cause of arterial inflammation. Periodontal disease due to high-risk pathogens will be shown to be an actual cause of arterial disease. ¹⁴ Endodontic disease will be discussed as a common trigger for heart attacks. ¹⁵ It will be clear to attendees that oral health is a critical element in the guarantee of arterial wellness.

Cases will be shown which tie together the science presented. It will be evident that dental providers and their staff are not just saving smiles, but also saving lives. Recommendations for advancing medical-dental collaboration will be discussed.

Participants in this course will be able to translate what they learn into a program to enhance their own arterial health, as well as their patients’.

This condensed course will provide an adequate education to allow the dental practice to collaborate with medical providers practicing the BDM. These knowledgeable oral healthcare clinics will be eligible to be endorsed by the BDM. Patients being managed by these practices will have the opportunity to significantly reduce their cardiovascular risk.