How is gum disease related to more serious systemic disorders?
The human body is a truly integrated system. The bacteria that trigger periodontal disease have qualities that may promote bleeding. The bacteria are able to enter the blood stream, and cause other conditions like heart disease to escalate. They also trigger release of hormone-like substances that make diabetes worse. You can actually improve a patient’s diabetes by treating his or her gum disease. We’ve also found the DNA of oral bacteria in such disparate locations as the plaques that cause hardening of the arteries and the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. Understanding the meaning of these observations is crucial to understanding human health. Oral diagnostic systems could hold the key to detect changes before they accelerate the course of disease.
