Systemic Diseases Related to Gum Diseases
Here are some interesting questions and answers concerning the relationship between gum diseases and systemic diseases generated from multiple scientific research publications:
"PERIODONTAL DISEASE AS A RISK-FACTOR FOR SYSTEMIC DISEASES LIKE, HEART DISEASE, DIABETES, OSTEOPOROSIS, RESPIRATORY ILLNESS AND PRE- TERM LOW BIRTHWEIGHT BABIES" The Journal of Periodontology/July 1998
Annals of Periodontology/July
1998
 | What did these studies find? |
A. These studies found that periodontal or gum disease may be
a potential risk factor for many health problems. Similar tosmoking, periodontal disease may put people at increased risk for
health problems like heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and pre-term low birthweight babies. | Why were these studies done? |
A. Heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, respiratory disease
and pre-term low birthweight babies are concerns for all healthprofessionals, including periodontists who specialize in the
treatment of periodontal disease.
Medical and dental professionals have long suspected that
infections in the mouth can play havoc elsewhere in the body.
These studies were done to study the association between
periodontal disease and these other health problems.
III.
| Does periodontal disease cause heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, respiratory illness and low birthweight babies? |
A. We cannot say definitively that periodontal disease causes
heart disease, etc. These studies found definite relationships, but
additional research is necessary to determine if periodontal
disease actually causes these health problems. What we do know
is that periodontal disease is an infection and all infections are
cause for concern.
| Isn't the key that poor dental hygiene causes periodontal disease and that if you exercise good dental hygiene, there's no need for concern? |
No, that's a misconception. Periodontal disease is not caused by
poor oral hygiene--people with good hygiene can still get
periodontal disease. In fact, recent studies suggest that nearly
30% of the population may be genetically susceptible to
developing severe periodontal disease.
| Just how significant are these study results? |
We think that people need and want to be aware of all new
findings that can potentially affect their health. These studies
have new information that periodontal disease may be a risk
factor for heart disease, diabetes, respiratory illness and low
birthweight babies. We think that people at-risk and their
physicians need to be aware of these findings, and to be concerned
about this as they would any infection that could negatively impact
their health.
VIII.
| How do you know if you have periodontal disease? |
A. Periodontal disease is a "silent" infection, meaning often
times a person is unaware they have it. Simple warning signs include:
· Red, swollen or tender gums
· Bleeding while brushing or flossing
· Gums that pull away from the teeth
· Loose or separating teeth
· Pus between the gums and teeth
· Persistent bad breath
· A change in the way teeth fit together
· A change in the fit of partial dentures
While these warning signs may signal a problem, a periodontal
check-up is the only way to be sure of whether or not you have
periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease affects the mass of tissue in the oral cavity
which is equivalent to the skin on your arm that extends from the
wrist to the elbow--if this was red, swollen and infected, you
would visit your doctor. Similarly, if you suspect periodontal
disease, a periodontal check-up is in-order.
| Are people who have periodontal disease more at-risk for heart attacks, diabetes, respiratory illness and adverse pregnancy outcomes? |
A. Possibly--more studies are needed to say for sure. Right now,
the best advice for people who have periodontal disease is to get ittreated to minimize the potential impact that this infection can
have on overall health.
While it would be premature to promise that if your periodontal
disease is treated you will be less likely to have these conditions,
it is reasonable.
| How significant are these health problems? |
A. Heart Disease: 58 million Americans have one or more types
of heart disease---that's nearly 22% of the U.S. population. Direct
and indirect healthcare costs for heart disease in 1998 is
estimated at 175.3 billion.Heart disease was responsible for more than 40% of all deaths in
1995. (Source: American Heart Association.)
B. Diabetes affects 15.7 million people in the U.S.--that's nearly 6% of the U.S. population. The healthcare costs for people in the U.S. who have diabetes run $92 billion annually. (Source: American Diabetes Association.)
C. Osteoporosis affects more than 28 million Americans--more
than 10% of the U.S. population--and leads to more than 1.5
million fractures each year with most of those affected being
women. Healthcare costs related to osteoporotic fractures is
nearly $14 billion. (Source: National Osteoporosis Foundation.)
D. Respiratory Illness: Respiratory diseases like pneumonia,
bronchitis and emphysema affect 16-20 million Americans
annually--that's approximately 6% of the U.S. population. (Source: American Lung Association.)
E. Pre-term Low Birthweight Babies: In the U.S., one in 10 babiesis born pre-term with low birthweight. These infants account for 5
million neonatal intensive care unit hospital days per year at an
annual cost of greater that $5 billion. The overall cost to society
in terms of suffering and long-term disabilities, however, far
exceeds these monetary estimates. About 23% of pre-term low
birthweight cases occur without any known risk factors such as
smoking, genetics, alcohol use, level of prenatal care, nutrition
and urinary tract infection. (Source: Journal of Periodontology 1996: Volume 67, Number 10.)
| Why has no one discovered this before? |
A. The search for the yet-unidentified causes of heart disease,
diabetes, osteoporosis, respiratory illness and pre-term low
birthweight babies is ongoing, with researchers looking at many
possible causes.
| .If someone has these other health problems, what steps would you recommend? |
A. Again the best advice for anyone at-risk for heart disease,
diabetes, respiratory illness and low birthweight babies who has
periodontal disease is to see a periodontist for treatment.
A visit to a periodontist should be a regular component of a thorough healthcare evaluation. If someone has periodontal disease and is at-risk for one of these condition, this problem can be managed by a periodontist in consultation with the patient's physician.