PERIODONTAL DISEASE
(GUM DISEASE)
Periodontitis (Gum Disease, Pyorrhea), one of the most common diseases of humans, is an infectious condition that can result in the inflammatory destruction of the periodontal ligament and alveolar bone.
 | Gingivitis is an infectious inflammatory process limited to the gingiva. |
| Periodontal diseases are generally chronic in nature and can persist in the absence of treatment. These diseases are the result of exposure of the periodontium to dental plaques, biofilms that accumulate on the teeth to form bacterial masses containing up to 1 to 2 X 10¹¹ bacteria/gram at or below the gingival margin. |
Dental plaques are complex, with more than 400 bacterial species having been collectively isolated from the plaques of patients with periodontal disease. Periodontal destruction probably results from the action of various toxic products released from specific pathogenic subgingival plaque bacteria, as well as from the host responses elicited against plaque bacteria and their products. The inflammatory response may result in gingival ulceration around the tooth which can allow intact bacterial cells or their products including lipopolysaccharides, peptidoglycan fragments, and hydrolytic enzymes into the systemic circulation. It is also known that the host response to periodontal infections results in the local production of cytokines and biological mediators including interleukins and prostaglandins, as well as systemic responses such as induction of serum antibodies.
Bacteremia from periodontal diseases, or the entry of bacteria into the bloodstream from infected gums, can have a significantly negative impact on systemic health. Transient bacteremia occurs frequently from mastication (chewing), oral hygiene procedures such as toothpicking, flossing, and toothbrushing. The extent to which bacteremia of oral cavity origin occurs appears to be directly related to the severity of gingival inflammation.
New evidence now links periodontal disease (gum disease) to heart disease, premature births, diabetes, respiratory diseases and other systemic disorders, thought to result from the chronic infectious nature of the pathology. As a consequence, early complete treatment is critical.
Thus, the best means to prevent bacteremia from the oral cavity is the maintenance of periodontal health.
If you have gum disease, get it treated!
