Yet another reason to brush and floss
When gums are diseased, the rest of the body may follow suit, say Harvard researchers cited in the January 23 edition of The Wall Street Journal.
A study of more than 51,000 men found that those with a history of gum disease faced a 64 percent higher risk for pancreatic cancer than those with healthy mouths. The research joins a wave of recent findings linking poor health of the mouth with poor overall health. Other conditions tied to unhealthy gums include heart disease, diabetes, stroke and problems during pregnancy.
Poor oral health is a bigger problem than most people realize. Around 35 percent of adults are estimated to have gum disease, with as many as one third experiencing moderate to severe cases.
“People think of gum disease as being in their mouths,” Harvard School of Public Health Assistant Professor Dominique Michaud, the lead author of the study, told the WSJ. “But when it gets severe, it’s not just in the mouth. It’s probably in the entire body.”
While regular flossing and brushing can reduce the likelihood of gum disease, don’t count on it to prevent it, researchers warned. Roughly one third of the population is genetically predisposed to gum disease. Tobacco and such medications as antidepressants, oral contraceptives and heart drugs are also likely culprits when it comes to poor oral health.
Treatments may be as simple as taking antibiotics in pill form or applying antibiotic gels to affected areas. In some cases, intensive cleaning both above and below the gum line may be required. In other instances, diseased gum may be surgically removed and replaced with grafts of healthy tissue from the roof of the mouth.
Some gum disease could be reduced or prevented by regular dental care. Yet limited coverage of dental procedures by typical insurance plans has discouraged many from scheduling routine appointments. The good news is that health plans are starting to offer such coverage.
Take advantage of the American Academy of Periodontology’s on-line tool to help determine your risk for gum disease at www.perio.org/consumer/4a.html .
