A recent study published in Genome Research found that a bacterium that has been associated with periodontal disease has also been detected in colon tumors.  Fusobacterium is typically found in dental plaque and associated with gum disease or periodontal disease. This discovery of the bacteria found in both the mouth and the colon is the first time this type of microorganism has been found to play a role in colon cancer. It is an important finding because colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

It has not yet been determined whe ther

the fusobacterium found in colon cancer is essential for the cancer to grow or whether it just affords a favorable environment for the bacterium. In either case, it is suggested that those with periodontal disease run a higher risk of colon cancer. It is important to treat the gum disease and lower the fusobacterium in the mouth.

There are benefits to men aged 65 and older that there is a slowing of periodontal disease progression with a higher intake of high-fiber foods, especially fruits. Although the study was conducted on men, it is logical to also recommend a higher fiber diet for women.

Read more at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03866.x/abstract

And I’m happy to do it, because like periodontal disease in humans, this disease affects dogs as well. If they have gum disease, then their heart, liver, lungs, etc are compromised.

And 8 – 15 year life expectancy for a dog isn’t much in my world. I want my dogs to live as long as possible.

I love ‘em. If you love your pets, brush their teeth every day, so you can love them longer. Be sure to use pet tooth paste as human tooth paste is not good for pets!

However, sometimes those without any of these diseases still have gum disease. It may be their stress level that is causing the perio problems. This too can be backed up by research showing those living with high degrees of stress also have periodontal disease. Stress taxes the body and lowers one immune system.

This leads to gums being inflamed and gum disease to set in.

In addition, when one is stressed, they are less likely to follow good hygiene procedures and may neglect their daily oral care. Another reason is that those with stress often gravitate towards foods high in sugar content. Whether you are stresses out or not, take good care of your teeth by providing them with meticulous oral hygiene. It makes a difference to your whole body.

In the presence of infection, the blood cells (that are racing around looking for infections) release the cytokines and tell the body to manufacture more blood cells. Periodontal disease is chronic so there is a never ending call for the body to manufacture more blood cells and release more cytokines.

This merry-go-round is what is stressing out the body. Unfortunately, these cytokines inflame all the internal lumens of arteries (not just the gums and tissue around the teeth) and are responsible for a cascade effect for many systemic diseases, such as heart disease, cerebral vascular disease, diabetes, pancreatic cancer, respiratory diseases, oral and throat cancer, lung cancer, prostatitis, erectile dysfunction, children with low birth weight, chronic fatigue syndrome and most recently osteoporosis and breast cancer, These cytokines interact with the whole body’s system causing inflammatory immune response or stress.

Professional dental cleanings strip the biofilm in the mouth, similar to cutting down a forest. In literally hours, the biofilm is trying to reorganize.

 Left unchecked, the new biofilm (forest) is reorganized (re-grown) in seventy days. Microscopic destruction occurs within a week. Ten times the amount of damage to the body is done between the third to the sixth month after a cleaning versus the first to the third month after a cleaning.

That is why three month professional dental cleanings are so important. The cleanings gets rid of the biofilm, gets rid of the inflammatory process and gets rid of the cytokines, which is taxing the entire system. Professional cleanings will not do it on its own. Three dimensional home cleaning (around each tooth) is essential to maintaining low levels of inflammatory response.

Hundreds of years ago it was the barber who treated teeth. Then the body of knowledge grew to create the dental profession. Today, you usually think of the dentist as the doctor who handles teeth and gums. But so much recent evidence is pouring in – to not only increase our knowledge but to change the way we think in how diseases in the mouth affect the body – that the dentist may enter a new role in the future. That role is to aid in reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, COPD, and cancer. How? By preventing and treating periodontal disease.

Patients with heart disease, stroke, diabetes, COPD, and cancer have increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in their blood. CRP is an indicator of widespread inflammation in the body. Physicians agree that measuring levels of CRP is important in evaluating the risks to these diseases as well as monitoring their success in treatment. In fact CRP levels were found to be more accurate in predicting heart issues than cholesterol levels.

Current research indicates that periodontal disease contributes to increased levels of CRP. Periodontal disease is infection in the gums that produces oral bacterial byproducts that enter the blood stream and trigger the liver to make proteins.

Treating periodontal disease reduces the CRP levels and it is believed is as important in reducing the risk to systemic diseases as is weight control, exercise, and not smoking. Of all the ways to keep your body healthy and reducing the risk to systemic diseases, getting your teeth cleaned every three months (instead of the traditional six months) is by far the easiest for individuals and perhaps one of the best.

Over 80% of adults do. With those odds, it may seem inevitable that you will have it, but why not be in the 20% that don’t? You can, all it takes is

diligent, thorough and proper oral care.

First – THE DESCRIPTION: periodontal disease is the chronic infection of the soft tissue around the teeth caused by plaque producing bacteria. The gums hold the teeth in place. As the gums become infected, they loosen their hold on the teeth and pockets are formed. These pockets collect debris and cause more infection and bone loss to the tooth. Imagine the tooth as a fence post in the ground, cemented in place. The post starts out sturdy and strong with no movement. The cement is doing its job. Now imagine that chemicals (from acid rain or blowing debris or winter salt trucks) start to erode the cement. Soon the post becomes wobbly and the wood under the ground starts to rot. The cement in this example is the gum tissue and the post is the tooth. Unfortunately, gum disease is worse than one rotting fence post. It is infectious and contagious. It can spread from tooth to tooth in the mouth and from one person’s mouth to another through saliva.

Second – THE SYMPTOMS: This is not so easy. Often gum disease has no symptoms so it is left untreated until it becomes so bad irreparable bone loss occurs. Outward signs of periodontitis are:

• Bad breath that won’t go away
• Red or swollen gums
• Bleeding gums especially after tooth brushing
• Tender or sore gums
• Loose teeth
• Receding gums

Third – THE DIAGNOSIS: During regular six month cleanings, a dentist can diagnose periodontal disease in its very early stages. Xrays determine if any bone loss has occurred. Periodontal probing determines the depth of the pockets or space that the gums have loosened around the tooth. High levels of plaque or tartar build up that have spread to below the gum line is another indication.

Fourth – THE TREATMENT: If you have perio issues, there are several steps that a dentist may recommend depending on the severity of the case. The most important action is meticulous at home daily oral care. Teeth must be brushed twice or more times each day for at least two minutes and flossed at least once per day. Other treatments include prescription oral rinses, three month perio cleanings, scaling and root planing (SRP) and surgery.

Last but not least – PREVENTION: The most important preventative measure to avoid the insidious gum disease is to take excellent care of your teeth. Proper cleaning at least twice a day is imperative. The goal is to keep the bacteria that cause the plaque at very low levels.

Not everyone gets gum disease, make sure you are among those that don’t.

 Studies in the Infectious Diseases Unit, Hospital Luigi Sacco, Milan, Italy have reported that the thickness of the carotid arteries was reduced after treatment for mild to moderate gum disease.

Strokes are caused by blockage in a blood vessel (most common) or bleeding of a vessel. The studies that were conducted showing a link between strokes and periodontal issues were those strokes caused by blockages. These occur when there is a thickening of the carotid and other arteries. Deposits of calcium and cholesterol – that are in blood vessels and arteries – break off and block the blood from reaching the brain. (The deposits are often referred to as plaque deposits. This is not to be confused with periodontal plaque.)

The bacteria found in periodontal disease are the perpetrator. The protein in the bacteria is similar to that found in periodontal disease.  While the bacteria are in the mouth, the body sets up a defense mechanism to attack the disease. The chemical given off by the body first attacks the periodontal disease then attacks the proteins in the blood vessels. This in turn builds up the deposits in the arteries. When the fatty substances break off the lining of the blood vessels they can travel to the brain and block the blood, causing the stroke.

There are about 800,000 strokes in the US each year, with over 140,000 deaths. It is the third leading cause of death. Strokes strike both men and women and can occur at any age.

Perio disease is a chronic infection of the soft t issue around the teeth. The gum tissue is destroyed and pockets are formed around the tooth. Symptoms include loose teeth, deep pockets, bad breath that won’t go away, painful or bleeding gums and red or swollen gums. There are no symptoms in the early stages of periodontitis. Professional dental visits are necessary to insure the disease is caught early. Periodontitis is caused by the plaque (in this case dental plaque) build up from not keeping the area around the teeth and in between teeth clean.

There are risk factors for stroke that one cannot control. These include age, gender, and family history. There are risk factors, however, that can be controlled. One factor is periodontal disease.  This can be managed successfully by individuals. Although oral surgical procedures may be necessary for severe cases, most treatment requires good oral hygiene.

The American Dental Association (http://www.ada.org/public/topics/cleaning.asp) recommends brushing teeth twice a day, flossing once a day, and professional cleanings twice a year.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information who published the study showing the link between strokes and periodontal disease, reported that the thickening of the carotid arteries “are positively influenced by periodontal treatment.” (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19074511?dopt=Abstract)

This information reinforces the belief that many in the dental profession have known for years, that there is a significant link between oral health and overall health.

Over 4000 women were used in the study. Endometriosis is an issue found in women of childbearing age. It is the thickening of the outside of the uterus, often causing pain, abnormal bleeding and sometimes infertility. There is no known conclusive cause for endometriosis.

There are a number of treatments; each depending on age and desire to become pregnant. The treatments may involve medications such as pain relievers, hormone treatment, oral contraceptives and others. Surgery is another option for severe cases or in those treating infertility.

Periodontal disease is a chronic infectious inflammation found in the mouth. The word comes from “peri” meaning around and “dontal” meaning tooth. Eighty percent of all adults have had some degree of the disease.

Perio infection (affecting soft tissue) and tooth decay (affecting hard tissue) are the most prevalent diseases on the planet earth, however, because it’s in the mouth, out-of-sight, it is often put out-of-mind. Symptoms include swollen gums, loose teeth, painful chewing, and bleeding gums. However, some people have no outward symptoms. A dentist can determine if periodontal disease or gingivitis exists and to what extent.

The reason for the possible link is not clear. The researchers at University of Michigan concluded, “Although it is conceivable that the multifactorial development of endometriosis may be augmented by an immune response to an infectious agent, the potential underlying link between endometriosis and periodontal disease may be a generalized, global immune dysregulation.” References: (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18394619)

Even though the study was not conclusive (most studies are not), it is just another indication that perio disease affects the whole body, not just the mouth. It is critical that women visit a dentist for regular six month check-ups and cleanings. If perio disease is present, it is also imperative that treatment be started. And most important, impeccable home oral care is necessary to keep teeth and gums healthy.