Chicago Dentist

Bacteria in the mouth have been linked to heart disease, premature birth, uterine infection, diabetes, and now dementia as well. There are possibly many more ailments that have not yet been linked to oral bacteria, but one thing is for sure, bacteria in the mouth is responsible for a significant portion of disease in our body. With the news that the brain may also be negatively affected by oral bacteria and the destructive immune response that the body mounts in response to it, preventing the proliferation of this bacteria should become a primary objective for all of us.

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The last time Barbara Stepp of Homewood visited her dentist, she told him about her ongoing kidney infection. “He immediately plopped me down in the chair and started doing acupuncture,” said Stepp, 70. Stepp’s dentist, John Rothchild in Hoffman Estates, is a longtime member of the American Dental Association. He uses the latest high-tech equipment to take X-rays, remove teeth and whiten smiles. But Rothchild’s practice is based on a holistic philosophy that says the health of your mouth can affect your entire body.
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In addition to acupuncture, his integrative treatment portfolio incorporates the use of mercury-free fillings, cranial therapy and homeopathic remedies. The ADA maintains that “silver” amalgam fillings, which contain mercury that can leach into the environment, are not a human health threat. And it considers muscle testing (or applied kinesiology) techniques, dental homeopathy and craniosacral therapy to be “unconventional” and not yet supported by science. Dental acupuncture, meanwhile, needs to be supported by a major research effort, the ADA says. But mounting research supports what holistic dentists have long believed: Although the mouth may not be the window to your soul, it can reveal potential medical problems in other parts of the body, including the heart, lungs and brain. And as the connection grows stronger, dentists who focus on treating the whole body as well as the teeth and gums—with prevention, education and nutrition playing a central role—may one day assume the role of a “primary care doctor.” “The ADA teaches brushing and flossing to control ever-present disease,” Holistic Dental Association President Tim Gallagher recently wrote in the group’s journal. “Instead, we teach brushing and flossing to check effectiveness of cellular immunity.” More than 75 percent of Americans over age 35 have gum or periodontal disease, an infection that can trigger an inflammatory response not just in the gums but throughout the body.

Your mouth speaks volumes about overall well-being — chicagotribune.com

Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums surrounding the teeth. Gingivitis is one of many periodontal diseases that affect the health of the periodontium (those tissues that surround the teeth and include the gums, soft tissues, and bone). Periodontal diseases are often classified according to their severity. They range from mild gingivitis, to more severe periodontitis, and finally acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, which can be life threatening.

Gingivitis

It might be nothing serious, but a sore in your mouth that shows no sign of healing could also be a warning sign of oral cancer, which kills more than 8,000 people a year.
Often, it’s not diagnosed until it’s advanced because symptoms — sore throat, white or red patches on the gums or tongue, numbness — are easy to put off to something less serious.

Screening for oral cancer in a new light :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Health News

by Dr. Elizabeth Smoots

Did you know that good dental hygiene keeps more than just your mouth healthy? A growing body of evidence suggests that maintaining healthy teeth and gums is important for the health of your entire body.

Oh, come on … How could that be? Well, it turns out that gum disease releases bacteria and their products into the bloodstream. This can trigger a whole host of disease and problems throughout the body.

For the sake of your overall health and well-being, it’s essential to properly care for your teeth.

Periodontal disease

It’s a common condition that can progressively lead to damage of your gums. It starts with the accumulation of dental plaque — a sticky, colorless material that accumulates at the gum line of your teeth.

Next, bacteria thriving in the plaque produce toxic substances. The toxins cause gum inflammation or gingivitis, which eventually progresses to destruction of the soft tissue and bone that supports our teeth.

An estimated 80 percent of American adults have some form of gum disease. Red, tender and swollen gums, or those that bleed easily when brushed, are early signs of the disorder. The majority of people, however, have no early symptoms. The condition can lead to gum pockets, loose teeth, a changed bite or poorly fitting dental appliances.

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by Anne Kelly

Twice a day Karen Redman flosses her teeth to protect not only her gums, but also her heart.

Becoming a more faithful flosser was the Liberal party whip’s New Year’s resolution for 2007, even though she doesn’t have gum disease or risk factors for heart disease. The Kitchener Centre MP stepped up her routine from every day or so to twice daily after learning of an association between plaque in the mouth and the plaque involved in coronary artery disease.

“I was watching a news show on television about the fact that flossing had a connection with heart health and the plaque on your teeth,” Redman said in an interview.

“I had always viewed flossing as something you did for the health of your gums. So for me, it was a real revelation to realize there were other implications that may, in the long run, have a greater impact.”

People with serious gum disease have higher levels of certain types of bacteria in their mouths. Researchers suspect the bacteria may travel through the bloodstream to the coronary arteries, causing inflammation which eventually leads to plaque buildup and narrowing of the arteries.

Another theory is that high bacterial levels in the mouth may lead to a chronic increase in the immune system response, which helps fight infection, but also involves inflammation.

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by www.dentistry.co.uk

A dental health expert has welcomed the results of a new study that warns young pot-smokers of the health risks to their gums and teeth.

Researchers in New Zealand have discovered that regularly smoking cannabis as a young adult can lead to early periodontal disease – independent of tobacco use – as early as the age of 32.

The research found that smoking cannabis more than 41 times a year from the age of 18 was linked to 36% of periodontal disease cases among people aged 26 to 32.

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation (BDHF), commented: ‘While the effect of cigarette smoking on oral health has been well documented, there is little out there warning against the dangers of smoking cannabis.

‘This study backs up the suspicion that regular use of cannabis can have a negative effect on the gums and, of course the rest of the body.’

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