By: Lanny Boutin
Let's face it, we judge others by the look of their teeth. People with normal looking front teeth, are perceived to be friendlier, more intelligent, more popular and more refined. But brushing and flossing may also be crucial to your health. By neglecting your teeth, you could also be putting your health at risk.
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"People with gum disease are twice as likely to have a heart attack." - Dr. Jack Caton, President, American Academy of Periodontology |
Researchers have long been tracking the relationships between the bacterial infection, gingivitis - or gum disease - and our over-all health. Dr. Jack Caton teaches dentistry at the University of Rochester in New York and serves as President of the American Academy of Periodontology. He says chronic infections do not bode well for healthy coronary arteries. "We know that people with gum disease are twice as likely to have a heart attack."
He points to epidemiological research showing a statistically real association between gum disease and heart attracts. While specific studies are needed to prove cause and effect, he argues that "there is a large body of evidence on a mechanism which shows gum diseases can increase artery plaque. We are speculating it's one piece of the puzzle."
Mark Herzberg is also studying the links between gingivitis and heart problems. He teaches preventative science and periodontology at the University of Minnesota. "We are not talking cause and effect, but risk." His research in rabbits found the Streptococcus organism, the bacteria in dental plaque, caused heart ischemia, a condition in which the when the heart muscle is deprived of oxygen.
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Like other conditions which suppress the immune system, gum disease can raise your risk of contracting pneumonia, bronchitis or emphysema |
According to Caton, these mouth infections can get into the blood stream and travel down the throat to the respiratory tract. This could explain the growing evidence that people with gum disease are more susceptible to respiratory diseases, he says.
Like other conditions which suppress the immune system, gum disease can raise your risk of contracting pneumonia, bronchitis or emphysema.
Gum disease can also be more prevalent in diabetics, who already have an increased susceptibility to infections. Researchers are now looking into whether gum disease makes it harder for diabetics to control their blood sugar.
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Research found that "poor periodontal health in the mother was a significant risk factor for reduced birth-weight in babies." |
"For diabetics it can be a vicious circle," notes Caton. "Infections make the blood sugars more difficult to control, which in turn makes the body less able to fight the infection."
Researchers are also looking into the association between gum disease and pre-term or low birth-weight babies. "Short gestation periods and low birth weight are two of the leading causes of infant death in the US," says Dr. Ananda Dasanayake, professor of Dentistry at the University of Alabama at Birmington. She notes there were almost 4 million low birth-weight babies born in the US in 1995. Her research found that "poor periodontal health in the mother was a significant risk factor for reduced birth-weight in babies."
So, what can we do to keep our teeth and gums healthy and lower our risk of health complications?
Regular dental check ups, including an examination for periodontal disease are important, says Caton. "If people would not only brush, but also just pass something, floss or sticks or tooth picks, between their teeth every day it would have such a dramatic effect on reducing the prevalence of gum disease, it would be breathtaking in fact."
Get More/Do More
Check out Straight Goods goes to the dentist.
Canadian Dental Association www.cda-adc.ca.
The American Academy of Periontology www.perio.org.
The American Dental Association www.ada.org.
Lanny Boutin is a freelance writer in Edmonton who specializes in heath and family issues. Her web site is www.ecn.ab.ca/~lanny.
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