Too often, Dr. Brian Parker's dental office in the Hanover receives calls from people who have not seated in a dentist's chair in years.

The people's medical doctors have told them they should have their oral infections cleared before receiving heart operations or even radiation treatment, said Erica Parker, Brian's wife and office manager.

"It's a real problem ...," she said. "We could have done this, this and this ..."

In some cases because of the timeline for the medical operation, the only choice is to pull out the teeth, she said.

Brian Parker said whatever work they could do, whether it involves removing teeth or even not, they have been able to reduce the risk a patient's oral infection poses to the success of the other medical treatments.

Infections in the mouth could affect the health of the rest of the body, he said. Studies are posing theories as to why.

Theories include that bacteria and the chemicals released by chronic, low-grade inflammation - such as what is actually found in gum disease - could travel into the bloodstream, said Dr. Sally Cram, a Washington, D.C. periodontist and spokeswoman for the American Dental Association. Cram treats patients who normally have diseases of the gum.

The predominant theory is the chemical C-reactive protein could inflame blood vessels. When blood vessels break away, they might move to the heart and brain, leading to heart attacks and strokes, Cram said. Other theories link bacteria in the mouth to those heart and brain events, she said.

Both Cram and Parker said these theories require more research. They said this emerging research is another reason why people should take care of their teeth and mouth.

Gum disease could make it difficult for diabetics to control their disease, and in pregnant women, it could lead to premature births and low-birth-weight babies, Parker said.

The Parkers will like to establish links in the community between doctors and dentists.

Erica Parker said she will like to see a question on medical histories at doctors' offices asking patients when the last time they saw a dentist was.

They say age is no reason to stop seeing a dentist, either.

Some people in their 50s say they are too old for dental care, Erica Parker said.

"We say, 'Wouldn't you like to have your mouth in good condition so you are comfortable the next 15 years?" she said.