May 25, 2000, Surgeon General David Satcher released Oral Health In America: A Report of the Surgeon General, revealing new findings which support what dental hygienists had long suspected: Infections in the mouth can cause disease elsewhere in the body. New research supports connections between gum disease and other health problems. Research indicates that people with periodontal disease are at a higher risk for developing heart disease, stroke, uncontrolled diabetes, a pre-term low birth weight baby and respiratory disease. Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection and all infections are a cause for concern. Periodontal bacteria can enter the blood stream and travel to major organs and begin new infections.
Research is suggesting this may:
People with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without periodontal disease. Patients at risk from bacteria entering the bloodstream during dental procedures, may require antibiotics prior to treatment to prevent infective endocarditis (life-threatening heart infection) from occurring. Consulting with a patient’s cardiologist is necessary before any treatment is delivered.
Additional studies reveal a relationship between periodontal disease and stroke. People diagnosed with acute cerebrovascular ischemia were found more likely to have an oral infection. New evidence suggests pregnant women with periodontal disease may be seven times more likely to have a baby born too early and too small. People with diabetes have periodontal disease more often than people without diabetes. Bacterial respiratory infections such as bacterial pneumonia, are thought to be acquired from aspiration (inhaling) bacteria of which dental plaque seems a logical source, especially in patients with periodontal disease. Researchers now suggest a link between osteoporosis and bone loss in the jaw.
Registered Dental Hygienists are alerting their patients to the possibilities that they may have a life altering illness, and they are often doing so early enough to save lives. Your Registered Dental Hygienist… “The Best Friend Your Teeth Can Have…” …a Licensed Professional
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© 1999 Paula Harris
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