Periodontist in Raleigh | 5 Diseases Linked to Poor Gum Health

22302 Periodontist

Poor oral health is usually linked with bad breath, and rightfully so.  But as it turns out, keeping your gums healthy helps lower your risk for many diseases, including the following:

Arthritis:

Periodontal (gum) disease is an inflammatory disorder where the gums become inflamed and the immune system starts to attack its own tissues.  This is precisely what causes the pain that many people with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). There have been several studies done that show there is a link between RA and periodontal disease, but now there is some evidence that there may be a direct causation.

The European Congress of Rheumatology did a study on 636 patients with varying levels of teeth lost from gum disease.  They found that the participants with 10 or fewer teeth were 8 times more likely to have arthritis than those who retained all of their original teeth (32, including wisdom teeth).

Cardiovascular:

While more circumstantial, there is evidence to show that there is a strong link between good oral and heart health.  Because periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory condition, patients may be at a higher risk of developing atherosclerosis, which is hardening of arteries due to inflammation.  Having healthy gums reduces your risk for heart attack and stroke.

Respiratory Infections

Your mouth and lungs are both a part of respiratory system, so it is possible for the bacteria in the mouth to travel to the lungs.

Most types of bacteria in your mouth are benign and do nothing more than aid in digesting food particles in the mouth.  However pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria can enter the mouth and, with poor oral care, may find a prime environment to thrive before spreading from the mouth into the lungs where they can cause health problems.  The good news is that keeping your mouth clean with regular brushing and flossing lessens their impact, and helps keep the rest of you healthier, too!

Pregnancy Complications

Up to 70% of women develop gingivitis during their pregnancy, creatively referred to as “pregnancy gingivitis.”  Hormone levels change during the pregnancy which cause an inflammatory response that then can increase the risk of developing periodontal diseases.

Studies have shown a strong link of periodontal disease with preterm labor.  In a normal pregnancy, a balance of inflammatory proteins is counterbalanced by anti-inflammatory proteins.  However, when a pregnant woman has gum disease, the high levels of inflammation protein can induce preterm labor or other complications, putting the health of both the mother and the developing baby at risk.

Cancer

A U.S. study found that people with severe gum disease are not only at risk of losing teeth, but also at a greater risk for cancer.  The study found that those with healthy gums had a 24% less chance of having any kind of cancer, and a 50% less likelihood of developing lung cancer.

Good News

Fortunately, gum disease is highly preventable!  For more information on how a healthy mouth makes for a healthy body or to make an appointment, call our office today!

Sources:

https://www.absolutedental.com/blog/10-health-issues-caused-by-bad-oral-health/

https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/comorbidities/gum-disease/ra-and-gum-disease.php

https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/periodontal-disease-heart-health#1

https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/conditions/gum-disease/how-periodontal-disease-affects-your-lungs-0815

http://theconversation.com/how-gum-disease-in-pregnant-women-poses-a-risk-to-their-newborns-55484

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-periodontitis-cancer/cancer-risk-elevated-with-severe-gum-disease-idUSKBN1FJ2CA

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Study links gum disease bacteria to Alzheimer’s

BY ASHLEY WELCH

Researchers say they’ve found more evidence linking bacteria found in a common type of gum disease to dementia. A new study, published in the journal Science Advances, found a key pathogen associated with chronic periodontal disease in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

The study authors say these results, plus additional testing in mice, provide “solid evidence” of a link between the two diseases and may offer a potential new way to treat Alzheimer’s. The devastating illness affects 47 million people worldwide, and there is no cure.

However, Alzheimer’s experts not involved in the research caution that it is too early to tell how strong this association is, or whether it could lead to effective treatments.

What the new study found

Scientists from Cortexyme, Inc., a privately held, clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, analyzed the brain tissues of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and found evidence of Porphyromonas gingivalis, the bacteria associated with gum disease.

Further tests in mice found that this bacteria could travel from the mouth to the brain and increased production of amyloid beta, a protein strongly associated with Alzheimer’s.

In addition to the Porphyromonas gingivalis, the researchers found toxic enzymes produced by the bacteria called gingipains in the neurons of patients with Alzheimer’s. Higher levels gingipain were associated with tau and ubiquitin, two other proteins involved in the development of Alzheimer’s.

The team also tested drugs in mice aimed at clearing the harmful bacteria and blocking its toxic enzymes. In these lab experiments, scientists were able to reduce the number of Porphyromonas gingivalis bacteria in the infected brains, block the production of toxic proteins, and halt degeneration in the brain.

The researchers hope this will provide the basis for developing a new therapy that could one day treat humans in a similar way.

“The findings of this study offer evidence that P. gingivalis and gingipains in the brain play a central role in the pathogenesis [development] of AD [Alzheimer’s disease], providing a new conceptual framework for disease treatment,” the study authors write.

Research on infections and Alzheimer’s disease

This is not the first study to show a relationship between gum disease and Alzheimer’s.

2017 study out of Taiwan found that people with chronic gum disease lasting 10 years had a 70 percent increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s. Another small study published in 2016 in the journal PLOS ONE found gum disease was associated with a six-fold increase in the rate of cognitive decline in people with mild to moderate dementia.

Other research has looked at whether various bacterial, viral, or fungal infections may play a role in Alzheimer’s, but there is currently not enough evidence to say.

“The idea that bacteria and viruses may play a part in brain disease like Alzheimer’s is not necessarily new,” Rebecca Edelmayer, Ph.D., director of scientific engagement for the Alzheimer’s Association, told CBS News. “But what this paper suggests is really an association and not causation and that should be very clearly emphasized when we’re talking about studies like this. More research is needed to really identify a causative role for microbes.”

In other words, it’s unknown whether gum disease increases the risk of Alzheimer’s or if people with dementia have an increased risk of gum disease because of poor oral care.

Edelmayer also cautions not to put too much weight on drugs tested in mice. “It really will be important to see how this plays out in human randomized controlled trials, which is the gold standard for understanding whether a therapeutic targeting something like the P. gingivalis mechanism would actually be effective,” she said.

Could good oral care help prevent Alzheimer’s?

While taking care of your teeth and gums is an important part of healthy aging, Edelmayer says it’s too early to say if those steps could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Of course, there are many factors that go into someone’s individual risk of developing dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association has a campaign called “10 Ways to Love Your Brain” to help people lower their risk.

“We think a lot about things like dietexercise, a good management of cardiovascular health, getting good sleep. All of these things could potentially play a role as a lifestyle intervention for decreasing your risk of developing cognitive decline,” Edelmayer said.

She notes that good oral health could one day fall into one of these categories if there’s more evidence to show that gum disease actually increases the risk for developing dementia.

Still, Edelmayer says with so much still unknown about the disease, studies like this are important for gaining a better understanding of Alzheimer’s.

“I think the research really reinforces the complexity of Alzheimer’s disease,” she said. “It highlights the importance of sharing information and experiments and data like this very freely and widely across the research community so this robust discussion about this kind of science takes place.”

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/study-links-gum-disease-causing-bacteria-to-alzheimers/?ftag=CNM-00-10aac3a