Tuesday, 02 February 2010 19:36

Thanks to Barbara J. Sullan  RDH, BS, MS for writing and providing this article!

Did you know that your oral health could be affecting your overall health? This diagram depicts various ways that poor oral health can affect your overall health.

 

What is Periodontal Disease?  It is a disease affecting your gum tissue and the bone that supports a tooth in its socket.  It is caused by bacteria left undisturbed around the tooth in a person that is susceptible. Not all patients respond to undisturbed plaque in the same way. While some people can get away with “murder” by not flossing and brushing regularly, others are less lucky and will have a moderate to severe response to the bacteria. The following are examples of how periodontal disease can affect health:

• Preterm low birth weight babies: Preterm, low birth weight babies refer to infants who are born prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy and weigh less than 5.5 pounds at birth. These births account for 60% of babies who die in infancy. Pregnant mothers with active periodontal infections are at high risk of delivering preterm low birth weight babies.
• Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)/Atherosclerosis: Patients with Periodontal Disease have an increased risk of myocardial or cerebral infarction. Areas under study include:
  • Hyper Coagulation: A thickening of the blood as a result of bacterial byproducts.
  • Thrombogenesis - an increase in platelet aggregation which can lead to clot formation.
  • Atherosclerosis - thickening of the blood vessel wall which can narrow the vessel lumen and dramatically decrease blood flow.
• Diabetes Mellitus:  Studies have shown that patients with periodontal disease have a difficult time with glycemic control.
• Respiratory Diseases:  The lungs and air passages of patients with respiratory diseases have been shown to be contaminated with organisms found from the teeth and gums.   Areas under study are:
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  • Acute respiratory infections: Pneumonia - as found in community-acquired or hospital-acquired infections. These infections are caused primarily by inhalation of infectious aerosols or by aspiration of oropharyngeal organisms.

 

Biofilms:
The bacteria in plaque are more toxic when they are organized into biofilms. Biofilms are colonies of bacteria that live and work together to provide protection from outside “hazards” to the colony as well as adding to the toxicity of the bacteria themselves.

Flossing counts:
After your teeth are thoroughly cleaned, bacteria immediately begin to colonize on your teeth. On average, biofilms form within 24 hours. That is the main reason dentists and hygienists want you to thoroughly brush and floss at least once a day. Because some people react to the bacteria in plaque more severely, they may need to brush and floss more often. Other dental cleaning aids are gaining interest as effective tools in combating periodontal disease. One of those tools is called a proxy brush. These tools clean between teeth and can reach into the pocket below the gums. While proxy brushes don’t reach as deep as floss, they have been shown to reduce the negative effects of the bacteria.


It is not about food left on your teeth:
So often, patients think that the goal of brushing is to get food off of their teeth. While some foods can provide a nutritional source for some bacteria, periodontal disease is not caused by food. It is caused by bacteria and a specific host response. So you are not off the hook until you disrupt the bacteria down in the pocket.

Professional dental help:
Once a patient has periodontal disease (the pocket around the tooth has gotten deeper) the bacteria gain an advantage. Dental Floss can only reach so far (3 mm), leaving undisturbed plaque to continue in its destructive path. That is where dental professionals come in. As professionals, we have tools that allow us to reach to the bottom of a deepened periodontal pocket.  Patients whose pockets are at a depth where they can successfully reach the bottom can usually be seen every 6 months. Patients with pockets that are deeper will need professional help and need to be seen 3-4 times per year to keep the disease in check.

Do you know your numbers?
When you visit your dentist or hygienist, they should be doing a routine periodontal exam to determine the depth of your pockets around all of your teeth. In general, a healthy pocket should be anywhere from 1-3 mm in depth.  If you have gum inflammation (gingivitis) your numbers will be around 4mm. If you have progressed to periodontal disease your numbers will read 5mm and up.
                                                                                                      

These numbers will give you and your dental health professional a better idea of where you are on the dental health continuum. A tailored program can then be established to help you treat and maintain your periodontal health. If this is not happening routinely at your dental office, ask your dentist or dental hygienist about your numbers!

< Prev		Next >