Submitted by admin on Sun, 2006-11-12 08:00. ::
Although dental treatment was not included in Israel's National Health Insurance Law and is thus not in the basket of health services provided by your health insurer, what is happening in your mouth has a direct connection to diseases in the rest of your body.
Periodontal disease - chronic inflammation of the gums found to some extent in the majority of adults - was thought for years to be a problem limited to the oral cavity. But in recent years, evidence has been mounting that this chronic condition affects the systemic health of the individual.
Studies in animals and humans have clearly shown that there is an associative and causative link between periodontal infections and low-birth-weight babies. In addition, men younger than 50 who have gum disease are at a significantly higher risk of developing heart disease than counterparts who have healthy gums. So far, there is no research showing that atherosclerosis (clogging of the coronary arteries) can be prevented by treating gum disease, but many studies nevertheless show a connection between the two. Research has also linked the debilitating autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis with gum disease.
To try to understand the mechanism that links periodontal disease with systemic disorders, researchers at Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School and Dental School are studying the connection between oral bacteria and changes in the function of the immune system, with a focus on molecular changes caused by the immune system's chronic exposure to periodontal bacteria. These microorganisms adhere to the roots of the teeth, swell the gums and remain there for 30 years or more; they enter the bloodstream and are bound to affect the rest of the body, not just the mouth.
A State University of New York study of diabetic patients showed that treating their gum disease significantly reduced their blood sugar levels and the need to take drugs for their condition. Thus, one of the first things that a newly diagnosed diabetic should do is go to the dentist and get periodontal treatment if necessary.
Studies carried out among pregnant women who have gum infections showed that treating their gum disease helps prevent gestational diabetes, which is the inability to process dietary sugars normally during pregnancy and puts women and their babies at increased risk of injury and illness. This temporary condition can increase women's risk of later contracting Type 2 diabetes.
This is cache, read story here
