Periodontal Disease - Frisco TX Dentist Blog

Obesity Conclusively Linked to Gum Disease

February 21, 2013 by The Frisco Dentist Leave a Comment

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It’s been suggested for awhile now that there is a link between obesity and gum disease. There are already links between diabetes and gum disease, and of course there are links between obesity and diabetes, so one would think that conclusively means there is a link between obesity and gum disease. However, there has been no actual evidence to link gum disease to obesity until now.

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University have found the link between obesity and gum disease by the underlying inflammatory processes found in both conditions.

“Obese individuals’ bodies relentlessly produce cytokines, proteins with inflammatory properties. These cytokines may directly injure the gum tissue or reduce blood flow to the gum tissue, thus promoting the development of gum disease,” explained Dr. Charlene Krejci, the study’s lead author and associate professor at the university.[..Read More]

Filed Under: Dental Health, Periodontal Disease Tagged With: gum disease, obesity, Periodontal Disease

Blackberries could treat gum disease

January 16, 2013 by The Frisco Dentist 1 Comment

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So, how is this for a bit of contradictory information? We recently said that blackberries should be avoided since they can stain your teeth. And lo and behold, new research surfaces that claims blackberry extract can actually control the growth of oral bacteria, thereby preventing or treating cavities and progression of gum disease.

Researchers from the University of Kentucky tested the effects of blackberry extract on ten different oral bacteria, and they found that the extract significantly reduces the metabolic activity of the bacteria known to cause periodontal disease and cavities by up to 40 percent. They also found that at high concentrations, the extract could kill the bacteria.

The researchers have even suggested that berry-derived polyphenols, which are found in red wine and black tea as well, could also be involved in this blackberry extract process. In other words, is this yet another reason to drink red wine and black teas? Many doctors have already recommended it due to the heart health benefits.

So, what to do with this conflicting information?

It’s true that blackberries, black tea, and red wine will stain and discolor your teeth over time. It’s also true that research has shown that they have health benefits, which now includes fighting periodontal disease and cavity-causing bacteria. However, another mantra is also true, and that’s the one of all things in moderation. If you add blackberries to every meal, you will see discoloration of your teeth almost immediately. Maybe add a few blackberries to your diet every week if you have tendency to develop cavities or are currently treating periodontal disease. Add one glass of wine or glass of black tea to your daily diet, unless you’re already a steady wine or tea drinker. Don’t over-consume any of these; remember to moderate.

The blackberry research study will be published in the February issue of the Journal of Periodontal Research.

Filed Under: Periodontal Disease Tagged With: gum disease, Periodontal Disease

Periodontal Disease Increases Risk for Pancreatic Cancer

September 26, 2012 by The Frisco Dentist Leave a Comment

Guess what…research has found yet another serious health link with periodontal disease–this time it’s a link to pancreatic cancer, one of the most fatal and painful cancers. More specifically, research has found that there is a mechanism that links the oral bacteria that cause gum disease and pancreatic cancer.

People with high levels of antibodies that fight against oral bacteria indeed have a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer. On the flip side, those with high levels of a specific, harmless oral bacteria may indicate a REDUCED risk of ever developing pancreatic cancer.

Researchers from Brown University measured the levels of antibodies to 25 different pathogenic (disease-causing) oral bacteria from over 400 patients with pancreatic cancer and over 400 participants without pancreatic cancer. The results shows that those who had high levels of antibodies against the bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis, a bacteria known to cause some forms of periodontal disease, were twice as likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those with lower levels.

The team also studied the association of pancreatic cancer with nonpathogenic oral bacteria, and they found that those who had higher levels of antibodies to these bacteria had a 45% lower risk of developing pancreatic cancer than those with lower levels of these antibodies. As a result, they theorize that these levels of antibodies may indicate an innate yet highly active immune response that fights against cancer.

“The impact of immune defense against pathogenic bacteria undeniably plays a role,” said Jacques Izard from the Forsyth Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the collaborating institution of the study. “We need to further investigate the importance of bacteria in pancreatic cancer beyond the associated risk.”

Pancreatic cancer is extremely lethal and extremely difficult to detect. Most patients die from the disease within six months of diagnosis. All the more reason to continue your own personal oral health battle against gum disease, right?

The study was published online on Sept. 18 in the Gut journal before it was published in print.

Filed Under: Periodontal Disease Tagged With: pancreatic cancer, Periodontal Disease

One Out of Two American Adults Have Periodontitis

September 12, 2012 by The Frisco Dentist 1 Comment

A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that nearly 50 percent of American adults over 30 suffer from some version of periodontal disease. That’s one out of every two adults that have some form of periodontitis, whether it’s mild or severe. Of those adults the study surveyed, 8.7 percent had mild cases of periodontitis, 30 percent had moderate, and 8.5 percent had severe cases. For older adults, those over 65 years of age, the rate of periodontal disease jumped to over 70 percent.

Of course, the research found that some demographics of the population were more prevalent toward periodontal disease than others. Over 56 percent of men were found to have periodontitis compared to 38 percent of women. The disease was also found to be more prevalent among Mexican-Americans, smokers, people without college education, and those who live below the national poverty level.

“Periodontal disease is associated with age and as Americans live longer and retain more of their natural teeth, periodontal disease may take on more prominence in the oral health of the U.S. adult population in the future,” said Paul Eke, lead author of the study and epidemiologist at CDC. “Our findings support a need for public health programs to improve the oral health of adults,” he added.

This increased rate of periodontal disease coincides with other recent surveys that found that less people are seeing the dentist as often as they should, if at all. The reasons for this are large in number, from the economy being poor to people to losing dental insurance. It’s a shame that many feel like they must cut out dental care in order to make ends meet, as not caring for your teeth as you should can lead to periodontal disease, which is more costly to treat than an annual dental visit. And as we’ve discussed at great length, periodontal disease can lead to other health problems, including diabetes and cardiac disease.

Filed Under: Dental Health, Periodontal Disease Tagged With: Periodontal Disease

Diabetes and Dental Health

November 16, 2010 by The Frisco Dentist Leave a Comment

For the 24 million Americans who live with diabetes, the last thing any of them wants to hear is yet another complication linked with the condition. Unfortunately, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has found that those with diabetes have an increased risk for periodontal disease, which therefore makes good dental health crucial for living well with the condition.

Recent research by the CDC has found that people living with diabetes are twice as likely to develop periodontal disease than those who do not. Since diabetics are more susceptible to bacterial infection, this includes being susceptible to infection of the gums. In addition, this situation is a double-edged sword, as severe periodontal disease–periodontitis–can affect blood sugar control and therefore push along the progression of the diabetes.[..Read More]