David J. Martin, DDS Blog

Diabetes. When diabetics develop periodontal disease, their sugar control worsens, as does the rate of complications from the disease, such as nerve damage and kidney disease. Treating periodontal disease reduces blood sugar levels significantly.

Possible reason: Diabetes causes inflammation, as does gum disease, and the two conditions worsen each other.

Pancreatic cancer. A recent study by doctors at the Harvard School of Public Health showed that men with periodontal disease were 63% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Pregnancy complications. Women with periodontal disease have more pregnancy complications, such as premature birth and possibly miscarriage. Treating periodontal disease in pregnant women reduces the rate of low birth weight.

Respiratory illness. Regular brushing and use of antibacterial mouthwashes can halve the risk of pneumonia in people admitted to hospitals (and in frail residents of nursing homes).

Kidney disease. Researchers at the University of North Carolina Kidney Center studied more than 5,000 older people. They found that those with more antibodies to oral bacteria from periodontal disease were 70% more likely to have impaired kidney function.

Rheumatoid arthritis. People with periodontal disease are more likely to have rheumatoid arthritis and vice versa. As with diabetes, the link is probably due to inflammation.

RISK FACTORS

Risk factors for gum disease…

Smoking. This is the number-one risk factor for periodontal disease. If you’re a smoker, you have another very, very good reason to quit.

Aging. Older people have more periodontal disease, probably because there’s been more wear and tear on their gums.

Being overweight. Extra fat puts you at extra risk — probably because fat tissue generates inflammatory cytokines, which worsen gum infections.

Medications. Many medications cause dry mouth, and a lack of saliva contributes to gum disease. Some of the most common mouth-drying medicines are antihistamines, antidepressants, high blood pressure medications and steroids. If you have dry mouth, talk to your doctor or dentist.

Genes. If there’s a history of gum disease and tooth loss in your family, you may be more at risk.

HIGH-LEVEL HYGIENE

To reduce your risk of periodontal disease…

Floss twice a day, before brushing your teeth. Flossing helps you clean areas between your teeth.

Brush at least twice a day. Gum disease is fueled by biofilm, or plaque — a multilayered, mineral-encrusted bacterial ecosystem. Biofilm re-forms every 12 hours. Brushing twice a day helps keep it in check.

Use the best toothbrush. Studies show that a power toothbrush is more effective than a manual brush at reducing plaque. However, any toothbrush works if you use it correctly twice a day, with the bristles at a 45-degree angle to the gums, wiggling rather than scrubbing. For an excellent step-by-step refresher course on brushing and flossing, visit the “Daily Care” section of the Learning Center at www.oralb.com.

See your dentist regularly, twice a year if your gums are healthy… three to four times a year if you have periodontal disease.

Try omega-3s. Supplementing your diet with one to two grams per day of omega-3 fatty acids, available at drug-stores and health-food stores, may help decrease inflammation.

Thomas E. Van Dyke, DDS Boston University’s Goldman School of Dental Medicine

Found this article and with our office preventive program, I found it interesting and informative. There is so much in the future related to oral conditions and the gateway to the body. In several years there is the possibility of diagnosis of different disease processes from various oral tests. Taking care of yourself and your our condition are becoming one in the same. Looking forward to discussing this with anyone who reads this. I will break it up into 2 separate postings. DJM

Despite all the multi-ingredient toothpastes, bacteria-busting mouthwashes and high-tech toothbrushes, the gums of Americans aren’t in very good shape.

About half of adults have gingivitis — infected, swollen, bleeding gums. The rate is 80% for Americans over age 65. Periodontal disease — advanced erosion of gum tissue and, eventually, the surrounding bone — affects 15% of the general population and 20% of those over age 65.

Danger: If you have gum disease, you may be at increased risk for several other diseases, including killers such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The more severe the gum disease, the greater the risk.

THE INFLAMMATION LINK

Bacteria in the mouth cause gum disease. White blood cells flood the area to battle the bacteria, releasing chemicals in the process that create an inflammatory response — the telltale redness and swelling that signal your immune system is at work. But inflammation has a downside — it damages tissue. Scientists now understand that inflammation causes or complicates many diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. Inflammation from gum disease has been linked to these and other diseases in three possible ways…

Bacteria from the mouth may travel to other parts of the body, causing inflammation.

Local inflammation in the gums may spark inflammation throughout the body.

You may have a genetic predisposition to diseases that have an inflammatory component, such as diabetes and arthritis. If you get one, you’re more likely to get another.

DISEASE DANGERS

Here are the health problems linked to gum disease…

Heart disease. In analyzing data from the 10,000 Americans who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), scientists found that those with periodontal disease were much more likely to be diagnosed with heart disease than people without periodontal disease. The connection might work like this…

Infected gums send bacterial toxins and cytokines (chemicals released by white blood cells that intensify inflammation) into the bloodstream. When the toxins and cytokines reach the arteries of the heart, they stimulate white blood cells there, sparking further thickening of arterial plaque. They might even trigger a rupture in the plaque, releasing an artery-closing clot.

New study: Doctors from the University of Connecticut studied 120 men with advanced periodontal disease — mostly middle-aged, overweight men, many of whom were either smokers or former smokers.

At the start of the study, researchers tested for endothelial strength — the capacity of the lining of the artery to widen, allowing more blood flow. Poor endothelial function is an early sign of heart disease. The men were then divided into two groups. One group had standard treatment for periodontal disease, such as scraping and polishing the teeth. The other group got aggressive treatment, including removal of plaque below the gum line and extraction of teeth. When tested later, the men undergoing aggressive treatment had better endothelial function than the men who got standard treatment.

Scientific literature also shows that people with periodontal disease tend to have higher blood pressure and a greater risk of stroke.