Beyond Brushing: Oral Hygiene can Have Overall Health Benefits

Things we don't want to do are easy to put off. Whether it's mowing the grass, repairing the bed, or going to the gym, we do them most of the time. Why? We comprehend the advantages, which motivate us. Why should you avoid going to the dentist and care for your dental health? You might think of oral health as just keeping your teeth and gums clean and healthy. Did you know that poor oral health can raise your chances of developing heart disease? It may seem strange, but multiple studies have discovered a solid correlation between your oral health and your heart health.

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Don’t Let Poor Oral Health Burn a Hole in Your Pocket

In reality, the health of your teeth and gums has a significant impact on your overall health, medical bills, and quality of life. "The significance of the mouth as a part of our health is often overlooked and underappreciated," says Dr. Caswell Evans, Associate Dean for Prevention and Public Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry. "Our oral appearance influences our vision of ourselves, how we are perceived by others, and even our employment," says Evans, who has written extensively on the consequences that poor oral health can impose on public health.

For the past 15 years, he has led the UIC College of Dentistry's Division of Prevention and Public Health Sciences, which oversees programs aimed at reducing these burdens through community-based oral health education. "Our goal is to prepare an oral health care workforce that is competent and committed to addressing the oral health needs of vulnerable and underserved populations," Evans continues.

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Oral Health is an Important Health Indicator

Oral health was selected as one of the ten major health indicators in Healthy People 2020, along with access to health, nutrition, cancer, HIV, and heart disease. Good dental health is crucial not only for functioning as a human being (speaking, smiling, smelling, and eating), but also for communication, interpersonal connections, and financial prosperity. Poor dental health can lead to unpleasant, disabling, and expensive medical diseases (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
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This is especially true for rural and low-income households, which face the greatest barriers to accessing dental care. According to the ADA's Health Policy Institute surveys of the U.S. population, one in every five low-income people reports that their mouth and teeth are in poor health and one in every three reports that the quality of their mouth and teeth impacts their ability to interview for a job.

Many of the factors that influence our oral health, such as diet and hygiene, are under our control with the right habits. Cavities are the most frequent chronic childhood disease, but they can be prevented with a nutritious diet and appropriate cleanliness habits.

Plaque buildup, on the other hand, eventually leads to cavities, gingivitis, or serious gum disease, putting your teeth and gums at risk and even other parts of your body.

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The Link Between Alzheimer's Disease and Dental Health

An increasing corpus of studies has found a link between dental health and chronic diseases like Alzheimer's and diabetes, which impact millions of people. A recent study from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry is shedding light on some of the mysteries surrounding the start of Alzheimer's disease, paving the path for novel treatments, and bridging the "gap" that has historically existed between the medical and dental professions. The goal is to apply these results to reduce the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a fatal neurological illness that affects one out of every ten people over the age of 65. It causes dementia, memory loss, and a gradual reduction in an individual's capacity to function independently. The two major types of Alzheimer's disease are familial (early-onset) AD, which accounts for fewer than 5% of all instances, and sporadic (late onset) AD, which accounts for more than 95% of all cases. Early-onset Alzheimer's disease is caused mostly by mutations in genes involved in the development of amyloid or senile plaques. Sporadic Alzheimer's disease has a comparatively late onset (60–65 years of age), although its etiology and molecular processes are poorly understood.

Dr. Keiko Watanabe is a periodontist and researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry. Her research focuses on the relationship between oral and systemic health, which is an important topic of study in total patient care.

Dr. Watanabe and colleague Dr. Vladimir Ilievski discovered in a recent study that mice orally exposed to periodontal disease (gum disease) bacteria developed neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and senile plaque formation identical to AD in people. This pathology was not seen in control animals. Furthermore, they discovered a periodontal pathogen or product within the neurons of the experimental mice's brains.

Another significant discovery was that the mice used in their tests were young wild-type mice. Transgenic mice have traditionally been used to study Alzheimer's disease since wild-type young mice are not thought to generate senile plaque. This implies that chronic oral bacterial infection or the presence of bacteria/products in the brain may impact the development of senile plaque, and hence chronic bacterial infection may be a risk factor for the sporadic form of Alzheimer's disease.

Even Dr. Watanabe was surprised by the findings, which represent a significant advance in our understanding of Alzheimer's disease. "We did not expect the periodontal pathogen to have such an impact on the brain or for the effects to be so similar to Alzheimer's," Watanabe said.

Dr. Watanabe's study has shown a clear animal model association between periodontitis and Alzheimer's disease, which serves as a foundation for exploring interesting new clinical research topics and treatment targets. Because animal models lack the confounding factors that can affect human studies, such as varying diets, obesity, and exercise levels, the use of mice provides clarity to the findings.

"All of this is governed by the animal system..."It's the clearest model system to me," she explained.

Periodontitis is Being Combated by Studying the Brain

Periodontitis has far-reaching consequences, and we have barely scratched the surface of our knowledge. Dr. Watanabe has previously discovered that periodontitis can impact the metabolism of the brain as well as the liver and heart.

"We performed a metabolomic analysis of mouse brain tissues, which revealed a change in metabolism—the metabolites in the brain—caused by oral exposure to a periodontal pathogen." The metabolomic study reveals a reduction in glucose availability, which is crucial because the brain requires glucose for energy."

What this means for Alzheimer's patients will have to wait until more studies define the link between the disease and periodontitis in humans. However, other researchers have found periodontal pathogens in post-mortem human brains.

The relationship between periodontal disease and general health Many factors contribute to or increase the risk of periodontal disease. Genetics, an unhealthy diet, bad habits like smoking, and poor oral hygiene all contribute to the conditions that might lead to periodontal disease.

Genetics and other health-related factors also influence how our bodies react to sickness and treatment procedures. For example, studies have found a link between periodontitis, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, we know that obesity is a risk factor for a variety of chronic diseases, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and coronary heart disease.

Gum diseases and pre-diabetes: an Unexplored Link

Dr. Watanabe has also connected periodontal bacteria exposure to the development of pre-diabetes in mice.

Prediabetes is a pre-diabetes diagnosis that indicates the possibility of developing type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes develops when blood glucose (blood sugar) levels are higher than usual but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.

Periodontitis, or gum disease, can also have major health consequences. Periodontitis affects about half of all American adults aged 30 and up, or nearly 65 million people. While gum disease is common, it can also be avoided.

Dr. Watanabe and her colleagues investigated how periodontitis affected pancreatic and liver cells, perhaps leading to prediabetes and diabetes. "The periodontal pathogen that we introduced into the mice's mouth, or a product derived from this pathogen, influences pancreatic alpha and beta cells, as well as the liver's Kupffer cells," Watanabe explained. "And those two organs are extremely important in the development of prediabetes and diabetes and the maintenance of health."

Dr. Watanabe's team discovered that mice exposed to periodontal bacteria for an extended length of time acquired insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, both of which are symptoms of prediabetes. They also demonstrated that rats with a mutation that predisposes them to obesity acquire diabetes and that the onset is hastened in the context of periodontitis.

Dental Care's Shifting Landscape

Despite advances in science, there is still a well-known "gap" between the medical and dental professions and the delivery of care across them. Historically, the oral health workforce was concentrated in private practice settings, where dentists led teams of dental hygienists, assistants, lab technicians, and office personnel. The majority of these practices continue to function independently of the majority of primary health care practices and health care systems.

Progress at the system level remains difficult. Separate insurance systems, incompatible electronic health records, and a lack of education remain significant impediments to the coordination of treatment provided by dentists, physicians, and other clinicians.

However, the landscape of dental care delivery continues to evolve. Private practice is evolving towards more integrated models, such as those seen in dental service organizations (DSOs) and community-based health centers (FQHCs). In the United States, there are various community-based efforts aimed at increasing access to dental care, particularly among the poorest. Give Kids a Smile, Missions for Mercy, and school-based dental sealant programs are among the more noteworthy programs. Many organizations are making significant strides in integrating oral health with primary care or providing dental services in everyday settings, such as schools.

Reference :

1. Oral health - (https://www.who.int/health-topics/oral-health)

Source-Medindia