Inflammation is the fire your body builds to burn out attackers like bacteria, viruses or parasites. If you’ve ever gotten a scratch that grows swollen and hot to the touch you’ve encountered acute, or temporary, inflammation. Then the healing begins.
Far more serious is chronic inflammation (CI). It’s like a fire inside your body that never goes out and increasingly researchers are recognizing it as a significant factor contributing to heart disease.
A simple blood test for chronic inflammation focuses on C-reactive protein (CRP), which the liver produces when inflammation is present. But your mouth can present more obvious and immediate evidence of CI—if you have sore or bleeding gums. That is periodontal disease (gum disease), and it needs to be treated as soon as it is detected to reduce the risk.
That’s why routine dental checkups are so critical—not just for your teeth but for your overall health. Don’t permit a destructive fire to rage unchecked inside your body. Arrange for a dental appointment at our office at your earliest convenience! And don’t forget to floss.
Dr. Angela Burns moved to Austin 10 years ago and instantly fell in love with our beautiful city. Dr. Burns is originally from the Texarkana area. She attended Texas A&M for her undergraduate degree and The University of Tennessee Health Science Center for her degree in dental surgery (DDS). Dr. Burns is committed to providing her patients with gentle, technologically advanced dental treatment. She attends an average of 60 hours of continuing education every year. She is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the Texas Dental Association, and the Capital Area Dental Society. Dr. Burns and her husband, Gary, have an 11-year-old daughter, Sydney, who is a proud 6th grader at Hill Country Middle School. She is also very involved in the Eanes PTO, her church, and loves raising her family in the Westlake community. “Growing up, I was drawn to mediating and helping others feel more included and less anxious. I was a camp counselor, student government officer and being the oldest of five, I was the family mediator. I found that I had a calling to help alleviate stressful situations for others and realized that being a good listener was something that was key to this. These skills really helped guide me into becoming a dentist that has based my practice on relationships, empathy and a sense of comfort. I knew that I wanted to provide an atmosphere that felt like home when others walked in. Our practice is small, personal and state of the art and we hope you feel like you’re hanging out with friends when you are here!” When she is not practicing dentistry, Dr. Burns enjoys traveling, hiking the greenbelt, enjoying Austin’s music scene, and eating Amy’s Ice Cream.
