Keep an eye on your smile for optimal well being

Keep an eye on your smile for
optimal well being

Ilanit Tof

The recent links formed between dental health and general disease
prevention have researchers and dentists excited about the
repercussions that good oral hygiene can have for general health. After
all they have been emphasizing the importance of keeping teeth and gums
in top condition for years, but recent research showing a correlation
between dental decay and degenerative conditions such as heart disease,
has reawakened interest in educating the public about the
ramifications of looking after their smile. A strong circumstantial
case is forming with researchers all over the world looking into the
causes and systemic repercussions of poor oral health. The main
evidence to date comes from longitudinal studies tracking large numbers
of participants to see if those who have gum problems have differences
in general health from those whose gums are healthy. These studies
suggest that gum problems could be as strong a risk factor for heart
attacks as smoking cigarettes, which is implicated in 40,000 coronary
related deaths each year. The results of a trial published in the
medical journal Stroke indicate that unchecked tooth decay may triple
the risk of stroke and heart attack. The German study compared 166
stroke victims with 166 people who had not had an attack of this kind
and found that strokes occurred 2.5 times more often in people who had
dental cavities and gum disease. This follows a 15 year American study
linking gum infections with heart disease, in which 2,000 dental
patients were monitored. Those with gum disease were twice as likely to
succumb to a heart attack.

Robin Seymour, president of the British Periodontal Association says
the trial findings could explain the “hidden risk” factors for heart
disease.

“The ‘known’ risk factors for coronary heart disease such as smoking,
diet and weight are associated with only 50 per cent of people who
develop the disease,”says Prof Seymour. “For thousands of people who
develop cardiac complications each year, the cause is still a mystery.
Poor dental health may offer an explanation.”

Gum disease is associated with poor oral hygiene and develops when
bacteria accumulate around the gums, releasing toxins and causing
inflammation and bleeding. About three quarters of adults aged over 35
have some degree of periodontal disease, a painless condition that
often gives few warning signs other that red gums and bleeding when
brushing. However, hiding beneath the surface are pockets of infection
that contain billions of bacteria, and are the site of smouldering low
grade infections that exert their damaging influence slowly over time.

Prof Seymour advises that immediate action be taken should gums start
to bleed.

“When bacteria first infect the gums, bleeding may not be extensive and
people can wrongly think it is caused by their toothbrush. It is almost
always caused by bacterial infection. Attentive tooth brushing should
clear it. But even if the area of bleeding is small, should it persist
for more than three weeks, go to the dentist.”

A link between gum disease in expectant mothers and premature and
underweight babies has also been established by researchers. University
of North Carolina’s Professor Steven Offenbacher says, “We found
patients with severe gum disease were seven times more likely to have
low birth weight babies.” Since such babies account for two thirds of
infant mortalities, these finding could provide clues for identifying
the risk factors involved. Many doctors are intrigued by the idea that
something as straightforward as treating gum problems could lower these
risks.

Of course, no one has proven yet that remedying oral ill health will
affect general health, however researchers are quietly confident that
this line of research is leading to important discoveries. Dr Harold
Slavkin, head of the National Institute of Dental Research is convinced
that pursuing these findings is important.

“The mechanism is not understood, but there may be a solution before we
know how it works,” Dr Slavkin says.
How it works is still a mystery, but three theories are being
considered.

“It’s probably a combination of these,” says Dr Robert Ginco, a dental
researcher at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Bacteria is dislodged, perhaps upon brushing, and travels through the
bloodstream, releasing toxins in distant places. Capable of forming a
blood clot and clogging arteries this way is Porphyromonas gingivalis,
one of the prime bacterial suspects. Bacteria originating in the oral
cavity have actually been found inside artery obstructing plaque.

Blood cells combatting bacteria by releasing a variety of proteins
could have unintended harmful effects throughout the body. Implicated
are endogenous chemicals such as tumour-necrosis factor and
prostaglandins. Some of these have been suspected of instigating
premature labour by triggering the uterus to contract.

The predisposition to gum disease and heart attacks or premature labour
could be due to an underlying factor such as a nutritional deficiency
or genetic pattern that makes the immune system over-react.

Although the links discovered between oral health and serious
degenerative disease is still to be further substantiated, it could
mean that thousands of heart attacks, strokes , pre-term births and
other conditions under investigation could be prevented by more
scrupulous attention to tooth brushing and regular visits to the
dentist. Now that is something to smile about.

Copyright 2006 Ilanit Tof. All rights reserved