Gerald J. Botko, DMD, MAGD, FACD
President, Academy of General Dentistry
Did you know that oral health research contributes to many of today’s advancements in medicine and disease management? In the early 2000s, some research indicated that the gingival epithelium ulceration was the portal of bacterial and toxin entry into the vasculature, the mechanism of the mouth-body connection. Research has proven that the mouth is the gateway to the rest of the body. Through the mouth, bacteria can enter the body and go to the bloodstream, causing inflammation and infection.
Poor oral hygiene and poor dentition and gums have been implicated as a contributing factor or cause for exacerbation of many chronic diseases, including dementia, cardiac problems, diabetes, and kidney problems. The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and its 40,000 members are working diligently to ensure that dental patients understand the impact of poor and untreated oral health conditions on the overall body.
According to the World Health Organization, 3.5 billion people worldwide suffer from dental cavities. General dentists work to help patients understand how cavities lead to infections. More studies are becoming available suggesting how infections in the mouth can affect major organs. For example, oral bacteria can travel through the bloodstream to the heart, where it can cause bacterial endocarditis, a condition in which the lining of the heart and heart valves become inflamed. In an AGD Impact article, COVID-19 and the Oral-Systemic Link, Dr. Richard H. Nagelberg, DDS, general dentist and member of the General Dentistry Advisory Board, states that research on whether oral bacteria lead to heart disease is somewhat mixed.
Patients who have not maintained good oral health also have increased risks for type 2 diabetes, diabesity, other cancers, Alzheimer’s and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Poor mouth care affects the digestive process, which begins with physical and chemical activities in the mouth. Patients who have not maintained good oral health also have increased risks for type 2 diabetes, diabesity, other cancers, Alzheimer’s and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
In an article published in the AGD’s peer-reviewed journal, General Dentistry, The effects of oral health on systemic health, Shawn F. Kane, MD, FAAFP, FACSM, shares that the level of oral hygiene significantly impacts the makeup of the oral microbiome. Individuals with good oral hygiene tend to have a simple flora dominated by positive bacteria.
Patients should see their dentists regularly to be screened for some of the top conditions associated with poor oral health, like oral cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. General dentists work to educate patients about the medical risks associated with having poor oral health to catch these conditions earlier. More than 90 percent of all diseases have oral manifestations, meaning your general dentist may be the first health care provider to recognize and diagnose a health problem.
