http://www.oramd.com/recedinggums/3-bleedingrecedinggums.htm No, gum disease does not spread beyond the oral cavity but the bacteria that cause the ailment can and do enter the bloodstream. Once these harmful bacteria are in your blood, they can spread to just about any organ in the body. The heart, in particular, is very sensitive and quite vulnerable to infection. An estimated 60,000,000 are affected by some degree of heart disease.