Mind Your Mouth: How Oral Health Affects Overall Health
Good oral health means more than a mouth full of pearly whites and fresh breath; it can also be the difference between life and death. Your mouth is a hotbed of bacteria, which can be controlled with good oral hygiene. But neglect your teeth and gums, and it’s not just your mouth that will suffer. Studies suggest your overall health may also be on the line.
“Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by the more than 500 bacterial species found in plaque below the gum line,” says Joan Otomo-Corgel, president of the American Academy of Periodontology and associate clinical professor in the department of periodontics at University of California- Los Angeles.
Periodontal disease – a fancy term for gum disease, including gingivitis – can cause swollen gums, irritation and bleeding. The more advanced form, periodontitis, can lead to receding gums, damaged tissue and bone around the teeth, and even tooth loss.
“Periodontal disease is the sixth most prevalent chronic condition in the world, affecting 743 million people,” Otomo-Corgel says. “In the United States [alone], [it] affects one in every two adults and 2.5 times more people than diabetes.”
At the American Society of Nephrology’s Kidney Week meeting in November, a study was presented showing that within a population of African-Americans with normal kidney function, those with severe periodontal disease went on to develop chronic kidney disease at four times the rate as those without severe periodontal disease after an average of nearly five years. Research like this continues to strengthen the link between periodontal disease and various ailments affecting the body, including heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.
“Periodontal disease is now recognized by the cardiology community to be a direct risk factor for coronary arterial disease, peripheral arterial disease and stroke,” says Sam Shamardi, a dentist at the Boston Center for Oral Health and clinical instructor in the Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s division of periodontology. “The common link to these and other diseases is inflammation.”
Authors: Chai Woodham
This article goes on to discuss periodontal disease and its relation to stroke, cholesterol levels, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and even its /feels on unborn children. For complete article go to:
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