Dental professionals and health care professionals have highlighted the role of oral inflammation in the progression of other disease states. As research continues to emerge that supports the mouth-body connection, the more vital it becomes that both dental and health professionals work together to ensure the most comprehensive well being of their patients.
Research suggests chronic inflammation links gum disease to other disease states.
Research is shifting focus to understanding why these connections exist. An emerging theory, and one gaining support from researchers worldwide, is that inflammation may link the mouth to the body.
Inflammation is the body’s instinctive reaction to fight off infection, guard against injury or shield against irritation. Inflammation is often characterized by swelling, redness, heat and pain around the affected area. While inflammation initially intends to heal the body, over time, chronic inflammation can lead to breakdown of the infected tissues, and therefore more severe health complications.
Periodontal (or gum) disease is a textbook example of an inflammatory disorder: “For many years, dental professionals believed that gum disease was solely the result of a bacterial infection caused by a build-up of plaque between the teeth and under the gums. While plaque accumulation is still a factor in the development and progression of gum disease, researchers now suspect that the more severe symptoms, namely swollen, bleeding gums; recession around the gum line, and loss of the bone that holds the teeth in place, may be caused by the chronic inflammatory response to the bacterial infection, rather than the bacteria itself.”
There are hundreds of germs that inhabit your mouth. If you suffer from periodontal (or gum) disease, you have open wounds in your gums that allow these bacteria to enter directly into your bloodstream and circulate throughout your body, relocating in other parts of your body, with the potential of creating disease in organs and systems. They attach themselves to fatty acids and build up on arteries, or they contribute to the formation of clots. Even in the early stages of gum disease your body is fighting low level infection daily and putting pressure on your immune system.
Many of the diseases associated with periodontal disease are also considered to be systemic inflammatory disorders, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease and even certain forms of cancer, suggesting that inflammation itself may be the basis for the connection.