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Links Between Oral Health and Overall Wellness
Some oral conditions and procedures call for extra care. Most of us go to a doctor for general health and a dentist for oral health, but the two areas fit together in a surprising number of ways. During organ transplant, joint replacement, respiratory disease and pregnancy, among other situations, it's important for your dentist and doctors to work together as a team.
That's because your overall physical health is tied to your oral health in a surprising number of ways:
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Organ Transplant: With a growing number of people receiving transplants to replace failing kidneys, livers, hearts or other organs, the National Institue of Dental and Craniofacial Research at the National Institutes of Health has issued treatment protocols for dentists to follow before and after transplant surgery. These show the vital importance of evaluating and managing dental disease. For example, a growing body of evidence shows untreated dental and gum disease is a leading cause of kidney transplant failure, because dental bacteria can lead to organ rejection or an increased risk of pneumonia after transplant surgery.
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Artifical Joint Replacement: We all have friends and family member who are anticipating some type of joint replacement. It's important for dental work to be done carefully after this replacement procedure to prevent infections caused by bacteria from the mouth entering the bloodstream. In fact, after joint replacement all patients are required to take an antibiotic before dental treatment for at least two years after their surgery.
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Pregnancy: This is another time when it's important to understand the relationship between overall good health and oral health. Homonal changes during pregnancy make teeth and gums more susceptible to the build up of bacteria so the risk of gingivitis increases in pregnant women. Some studies even suggest a link between poor oral health and low birth weight or premature births. For those reasons, we watch our expectant patients carefully for signs of problems that could cause complications for mother and child.
- Respiratory Disease: Researchers have recently documented an association between periodontal disease and several respiratory conditions. Bacteria that grow in the mouth can enter the lungs by breathing, leading to potential infection and exacerbating compromised immune system conditions like COPD. Enzymes associated with periodontal disease may also make the surface of the lung more susceptible to infection and promote infections like pneumonia. These are just a few examples of the interrelationship between oral health and general health, and a reminder of just some of the reasons regular attention to your teeth and gums is essential for your best health.