Healthy Gums

Jeanne — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:39:04 +0000

Clearly, increased efforts to keep your mouth and gums healthy may reap healthy benefits far beyond just keeping your teeth.

Fortunately, keeping your gums and teeth healthy requires relatively low-tech means: Daily brushing and flossing plus regular trips to your dentist for cleanings and checkups. Now we know that maintaining good oral hygiene could help prevent more serious conditions. This should be a great incentive for both young and old.

• Oral Disease and Osteoporosis~

A recent University of Buffalo study linked osteoporosis and periodontal (gum) disease. The study stated that it was particularly evident in women 70 and older; however 25% are men. What happens? With osteoporosis either too much bone is resorbed or too little bone is formed. About 10% of the body’s bone is removed and then replaced each year. Gum disease is the primary cause of tooth loss in adults. It destroys both gum tissue and the bone that supports the teeth. Researchers are studying how bone loss around those teeth is related to body-wide bone loss. What we know about osteoporosis is that it is a systemic disease. We know that bone loss in the oral cavity produces more cytokines that may impact bone quality throughout the body. People with osteoporosis are known to have elevated levels of IL-1 and IL-6 cytokines.

• Ventilators, an infectious pathway~

When hospitalized patients are connected to a ventilator, their risk of pneumonia can increase 20 times. This is a leading killer among hospital acquired infections. Oral bacteria in dental plaque can travel down the ventilator tube and into the lungs and begin to grow. Healthier gums and teeth will reduce this risk.

For more information leave us a message on this website or call St. Louis Hills Dental Group at 314-644-0440.

St. Louis Hills Dental Group » Osteoporosis

Healthy Gums