Gum Disease Boosts the Risk of Mental Health Problems

Many patients are at an increased risk of developing illnesses including mental ill-health and heart conditions if they have a history of gum disease, according to the University of Birmingham-led study.

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What is Gum Disease?

Just like skin that protects inner organs, gums also protect teeth and the other structures that hold them in place. Gum disease is also known as periodontal disease. Gum disease begins when plaque, made up of bacteria, mucus, and food particles, infects the gums and teeth. As the disease progresses, it causes diabetes.

Besides what it does to the teeth, gum disease has also been linked to conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and premature births, or low birth weight.

Previous studies have also shown that people with autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were four times more likely to have gum disease than their RA-free counterparts and it tended to be more severe.

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New Connection to Gum Disease

However, the association between gum disease and many chronic diseases, particularly mental ill-health is still unknown.

To know the association, researchers carried out a first-of-its-kind study of the medical records of 64,379 patients who had a recorded history of gum disease, including the condition that occurs if gum disease is left untreated and can lead to tooth loss.

Of these patients, 60,995 had the earliest stage of gum disease, and 3,384 had a more serious stage of gum disease with tooth loss. These patients’ records were compared to those of 251,161 patients who had no record of periodontal disease.

Among the study participants, the average age was 44 years, and 43% were male, while 30% were smokers. Body mass index (BMI), ethnicity, and deprivation levels were also similar across the groups.

Researchers then examined the data to establish how many of the patients with and without gum disease go on to develop cardiovascular disease (e.g., heart failure, stroke, vascular dementia), cardiometabolic disorders (e.g., high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes), autoimmune conditions (e.g., arthritis, Type 1 diabetes, psoriasis), and mental ill-health (e.g., depression, anxiety, serious mental illness) over an average follow-up of around three years.

The observations were published in the journal BMJ Open.

Researchers found that those patients with a recorded history of gum disease were more likely to be diagnosed with one of these medical conditions over an average of three years, compared to those without gum disease.

The study results showed that in patients with a history of gum disease:

• The increased risk of developing mental ill-health was 37%
• The risk of developing the autoimmune disease was increased by 33%
• The risk of developing cardiovascular disease was raised by 18%
• The risk of having a cardiometabolic disorder was increased by 7% (with the increased risk much higher for Type 2 diabetes at 26%)

This study provides evidence that gum disease appears to be associated with an increased risk of developing these associated chronic diseases.

As gum diseases are very common, this increased risk of other chronic diseases may represent a substantial public health burden.

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How to Prevent Gum Disease?

Save a whole lot of problems by taking care of gums. It involves the following things:

• Brushing teeth twice a day.
• Flossing once a day.
• Visiting the dentist for regular check-ups and cleanings.

In addition to these, simple and healthy lifestyle changes also help protect gums. These include avoiding smoking and eating a healthy diet low in sugar and high in fiber.

Effective communication between dental and other healthcare professionals is needed to ensure patients obtain an effective treatment plan targeting both oral and overall health to improve their existing health condition and reduce the risk of future illness.

Healthcare professionals also need to keep an eye on early signs of gum disease and should also reinforce the importance of prevention, early identification, and treatment of gum disease and the need for people to attend regular oral health checks with a dentist or dental care professional.

A little extra attention to gums can keep the smile, body, and mind beautiful for many years.

References:

1. The health risks of gum disease - (https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/health-risks-of-gum-disease/)
2. Periodontitis and systemic disease - (https://www.nature.com/articles/bdjteam2015163)
3. Gum disease and heart disease: The common thread - (https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/gum-disease-and-heart-disease-the-common-thread)

Source-Medindia