By Mary Otto
Advances in science are contributing to a growing appreciation of the interrelationships between oral and systemic conditions. Here are some resources to get you started in reporting on this trend in your community.
Does Gum Disease Contribute to Wider Illness?
Periodontal (gum) disease is widespread in the United States. Nearly half of American adults suffer from it, according to a recent federal study.
The condition can range from mild inflammation of the soft tissues surrounding the teeth to irreversible chronic destruction of both the soft tissues and bones supporting the teeth. In its severe form, periodontal disease can result in tooth loss, a devastating problem in itself.
But does periodontal disease also have an impact that extends beyond the mouth? Some researchers think so. They suspect that systemic inflammation may be the tie that binds periodontal disease to life-threatening conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity.
After decades of study, however, they admit much remains unknown. Getting a clearer understanding of the problem is complicated by the complexities of these diseases and their shared risk factors.
At this point, the most is known about the link between periodontal disease and diabetes. Periodontal disease is a recognized complication of diabetes and important research points to a relationship between the diseases. Studies also suggest that the presence of periodontal disease makes diabetes harder to control. Here is a tip sheet that tells more.
Answers about the connection between gum disease and maladies such as cardiovascular disease are farther from being answered. For a deeper and wider look at oral-systemic research and the questions that continue to drive studies, this 2015 paper from a team of Boston and Saudi Arabia-based researchers provides a useful history and status report.
What Can Oral Microbes Teach Us About Systemic Health?
Oral bacteria – known to contribute to tooth decay and gum disease, and which may play a role in diseases and conditions such as bacterial endocarditis, stroke and preterm births are becoming better-known thanks to evolving technologies and a greater focus on the human oral microbiome.
This tip sheet offers highlights and resources related to the growing field of oral microbiology.
In his Oral Health in America report, Surgeon General David Satcher called the mouth “a mirror for general health” and oral fluids are as valuable tools for medical testing.
Saliva, the fluid secreted by the salivary glands, contains substances such as proteins and bacteria that can serve as markers for certain systemic conditions. Non-invasive salivary screening tests are available for viral infections such as HIV and human papillomavirus, and research into diagnostic tests using oral fluids continues. This tip sheet looks at the potential usefulness of tests that are challenging the traditional boundaries between dental visits and medical exams
How Does Oral Health Impact Quality of Life?
If you are looking for a way to explore how the connections between oral health and overall health play out in real life, a good place to start is with the older members of your community.
Good oral health is a strong indicator of overall good health in older adults. Staying well-nourished is easier when people have all or most of their teeth, while poor oral health is linked to problems such as obesity, sleep apnea, low self-esteem and other problems. Still, many seniors face significant barriers in getting routine dental care. For more thoughts related to this important angle on oral-systemic connections, see this tip sheet.
Here’s one more thought. Numerous studies have concluded that particularly in poor, rural and isolated communities, dental care can be harder to find than medical care. The shortage of care has been found to contribute to elevated levels of disease and expensive emergency room visits. This summer, federal officials announced that nearly $156 million in oral health funding would help public and private non-profit health centers in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico to provide new and expanded dental services to their communities.
Will this new grant funding help close the gap between dental and medical care at a safety-net clinic near you?
