Your Teeth Are the Windows To Your Overall Body Health
It has been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. But is your mouth the window to the rest of your body? Increasingly, researchers are discovering that the condition of your teeth and gums can be an indicator of your overall health. For example, patients who have severe gum disease, or periodontitis, are much more likely to have a buildup of plaque in their arteries. But it would be a leap of logic to say that if you don’t brush your teeth, you’ll have a heart attack. Scientists still are trying to explain the connection between the two diseases. It is unknown whether or not it’s cause-and-effect, or if they stem from the same pathophysiological process. In other words, there could be a common factor that’s causing both problems. But cardiologists long have known that gum disease can cause bacteria to get into the bloodstream, and sometimes those bacteria can get lodged in a defective heart valve. This is why people with heart defects usually have been advised to take preventive antibiotics before having a dental procedure. There is a growing body of research on the role of inflammation in heart disease.
It turns out that a major cause of inflammation is chronic infection. It is certainly possible that ongoing gum disease could be putting people at risk for heart attacks. This emerging research is beginning to break down the artificial barrier between doctors and dentists. The old view, held by both patients and health professionals, was that the teeth were separate from the rest of the body. Treatments performed on teeth were considered cosmetic and not related to the patient’s medical condition. Insurance companies almost see teeth as a luxury. But the teeth are connected to the body by blood vessels and nerves, just like any other part of the anatomy. I wish the insurance industry would acknowledge this reality. Sometimes we see patients who don’t heal as well after a procedure, and we begin to think they may be diabetic. Studies have revealed a strong correlation between gum disease and diabetes.
Often the severity of your periodontal disease is related to the severity of your diabetes. If you can control one, you can control the other. Diabetic patients are susceptible to infections, so it may not be surprising that they would have a higher risk for gum disease. But new research has shown unexpected connections between oral health and other systemic conditions. For instance, pregnant women who have gum disease are more likely to have low-birth-weight babies and to go into labor prematurely. Poor oral health doesn’t necessarily cause these pregnancy complications. It could be that both conditions are related to the patient just not taking good care of herself. Regardless of the cause, an astute doctor should take a look at their patient’s mouth. If the condition of the teeth indicates that the patient is probably not brushing, it’s likely that he or she has other health issues, such as smoking, poor diet or lack of exercise. A more holistic approach is gradually evolving, both in dentistry and medicine. I do think people are recognizing the connection.
