|
The oral / systemic disease connection came into prominence with the U.S. Surgeon General's
report in May of 2000. (US Department of Health and Human Services) Oral Health in America: A
Report of the Surgeon General-- Executive Summary., 2000.
The report states: "The terms oral health and general health should not be interpreted as
separate entities". Oral health is integral to general health; this report provides important
reminders that oral health means more than healthy
teeth and that you cannot be healthy without
oral health. Studies have demonstrated an association
between periodontal diseases and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke,
and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The past half century has seen
the meaning of oral health evolve from a narrow focus on teeth and gingiva to the recognition
that the mouth is the center of vital tissues and
functions that are critical to total health and well-being across the life span. Periodontal disease may increase risk for a variety of
health concerns including heart disease, stroke, pre-term birth, diabetes, osteoporosis, lung
disease and others. The statistical relationship between periodontal disease and systemic
diseases has been well documented and was referred to in the Surgeon General's report.
While the statistical relationship has been well documented, it has remained until recently
to demonstrate that the periodontal disease is a causal factor and not just a correlated
bystander, and that in fact removing the periodontal disease reduces the risk of the systemic
disease. The mouth, with it's 500 different naturally occurring organisms is only second to the
intestines in the number of bacteria present, and periodontal disease allows these bacteria to
enter the bloodstream and create problems. Additionally, periodontal disease can be a main cause
of inflammation in the system the most important of which is increasing the level of C-reactive protein (CRP).
^ back to top
Heart Disease
Levels of CRP may be a stronger predictor of potential heart attack or stroke than cholesterol,
according to a study published in the Nov. 14, 2003 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Researchers have found that levels of both cholesterol and C-reactive protein were indicative of
potential heart attacks and strokes, although the latter was more so. Also, women with high levels
of one didn't necessarily have high levels of the other.
University of California Davis study identifies C-reactive protein as cause of blood clot formation.
(Jan. 25, 2003 print edition of the journal Circulation - a publication of the American Heart Association).
"The study provides further conclusive evidence that CRP, until now viewed as an 'innocent bystander'
in the formation of heart disease, is in fact a key culprit that causes inflammation in the arteries,
resulting in formation of clots and plaque that lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Treatment of Periodontal Disease significantly reduces CRP levels. Okayama University Graduate School
of Medicine and Dentistry, Okayama, Japan.
Treating periodontal disease can significantly lower the levels of two inflammatory proteins
associated with a heightened risk of heart disease, ," Dr. Sara Grossi, senior author of the study,
said. "Our results showed that in people who had elevated levels of CRP at baseline, removal of dental
plaque bacteria by scaling or scaling combined with topical antibiotics produced a statistically
significant reduction, bringing CRP levels close to the low-risk level. SUNY Buffalo.
^ back to top
Preterm and low-birth weight babies
Pregnant women who receive treatment for their periodontal disease can reduce their risk of
giving birth to a low birth-weight or pre- term baby . Of the women who received treatment during
pregnancy, 2 percent gave birth to either a low birth-weight or pre-term infant. By comparison, 10
percent of the women who did not receive treatment after birth had either a low birth-weight or
pre-term baby. University of Chile- were published in the Journal of Periodontology August 2002
Diabetes
Dr. Robert Genco, Chairman of the Oral Biology Department at SUNYAB, shows in studies that treating PI may reduce a diabetic's blood sugar.
Grossi et al. 1997: Treatment of periodontal disease in diabetics reduces glycated hemoglobin. J. Periodontal 68(8): 713-719.
^ back to top
Stroke
Dr. Robert Genco, Chairman of the Oral Biology Department at SUNYAB, shows in studies that
treating periodontal disease may reduce a diabetic's blood sugar. Severe periodontal disease can
increase blood sugar, contributing to increased periods of time when the body functions with high
blood sugar. This puts diabetics at increased risk of diabetic complications. Thus, diabetics who
have periodontal disease should be treated to remove the periodontal infection. Recent results
show that treatment of periodontal disease reduces HbA1c- glycated hemoglobin, which measures the
ability of diabetics to control their blood sugar. If you are diabetic, you are at a higher risk
for developing infections, including periodontal diseases. These infections can impair the ability
to process and/or utilize insulin, which may cause your diabetes to be more difficult to control
and your infection to be more severe than a non-diabetic. Additionally HbA1c and CRP have been shown
to be additive factors in predicting heart attacks.
Lung Disease
Scientists have found that bacteria that grow in the oral cavity can be aspirated into the
lung to cause respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, especially in people with periodontal disease.
Osteoporosis
The relationship between bone mineral density and periodontitis in post-menopausal women. J. Periodontol. 71(9): 1492-1498.
Preliminary results indicate that, as dental bone density decreases, so does hip bone density.Wactawski-Wende et al. 1998. s.
^ back to top
Gastric Ulcer
Even when H. pylori was eliminated from the stomach with antibiotic therapy, it was not
completely eradicated from the mouth, where it continues to grow in colonies deep within
periodontal pockets. These pockets could be a source of re-infection for the stomach. Heller
et. al. The Carbohydrate Addict's Healthy Heart Program. New York: Ballantine Books.
Alzheimer's Disease
Researchers found that seniors with the highest levels of inflammation (those whose blood
levels of IL-6 and CRP were in the upper one-third) had substantially more cognitive decline
than those with blood levels in the lowest one-third. These results were published in the
journal Neurology in 2003.
^ back to top
back to library
|
