This content was originally produced for audio. Certain elements such as tone, sound effects, and music, may not fully capture the intended experience in textual representation. Therefore, the following transcription has been modified for clarity. We recognize not everyone can access the audio podcast. However, for those who can, we encourage subscribing and listening to the original content for a more engaging and immersive experience.
All thoughts and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views held by the institutions with which they are affiliated.
Why Gum Health Matters Beyond the Mouth
Interviewer: Gum disease isn't just about teeth. It's a window into your overall health. Dr. Daniel Thunell, a board-certified periodontist at 麻豆学生精品版 School of Dentistry, is joining us today to explore the critical, often overlooked connection between gum health and five of the more common health conditions that can affect long-term wellness.
Now, Dr. Thunell, before we get to your list, let's start with just some of the basics of gum disease. What is it, and how common is it?
Dr. Thunell: So gum disease is inflammation and infection of the tissues that support your teeth. Those tissues specifically are the bones and gums around your teeth. And interestingly, almost 50% of all adults have periodontal disease or gum disease.
Interviewer: Wow, 50%?
Dr. Thunell: And as many as 70% of adults over the age of 65.
Interviewer: Wow. And so why is basic gum health good? Why is it important for your teeth? I think we have a sense of that.
Dr. Thunell: Well, ultimately, poor gum health can lead to tooth loss. We lose the bone, we lose the supporting structures around the teeth. They become loose, and we run the risk of losing them. So it's critical that we do take really good care of our gums and our teeth.
Pregnancy and Preterm Birth Risks
Interviewer: But it's not just teeth health, is my understanding. So why don't we get to some of those five health conditions? Let's start with what's your number five medical condition that gum disease impacts?
Dr. Thunell: Number five is pregnancy and preterm birth risks.
Interviewer: Wow. And how does gum disease impact that?
Dr. Thunell: So, hormonal changes during pregnancy can increase the body's susceptibility to gum disease primarily through inflammatory pathways. So systemic inflammation can have an impact on your pregnancy and your baby during pregnancy.
Interviewer: And what does that look like?
Dr. Thunell: Bacteria from gum disease can enter the bloodstream. It can impact the uterus, it can impact the placenta, and it can lead to preterm delivery or even low birth weight outcomes.
Interviewer: So oral health is really important to pregnant mothers, then.
Dr. Thunell: It's critical. We strongly encourage all pregnant mothers to have regular dental checkups during pregnancy. Sometimes there's a myth or a belief that you shouldn't have dental work during pregnancy, but that's not true. It's critical and it's safe to see your dental professional and your hygienist during pregnancy.
Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke
Interviewer: All right. So, pregnancy and gum disease, there's a connection. Let's go on to number four. What's the next medical condition?
Dr. Thunell: Number four, cardiovascular disease. This is probably the most well-studied, well-researched relationship between gum disease and a systemic disease. And so with cardiovascular disease and gum disease, we see inflammation from gum disease leading to bacteria traveling through the bloodstream and entering into the vasculature, the vessels around the heart, and increasing the arterial plaques that build up and lead to heart problems.
Interviewer: I guess I've seen that before. The heart blockages and things like that that come from those plaques, gum disease can cause that?
Dr. Thunell: Correct. So interestingly, there's a 30% higher chance of a heart attack in an individual who has periodontal disease, and up to a 2.5 times greater risk of stroke as well.
Interviewer: Because those are two of the, I guess, scariest things that we hear about what could happen with your health, and it can be connected to your oral health. That's crazy.
Dr. Thunell: Right. That connection has been studied for decades and has been shown to be pretty strong.
The Two-Way Relationship With Diabetes
Interviewer: All right. Now let's go on to number three.
Dr. Thunell: Number three is diabetes. And so there's a bidirectional relationship between diabetes and gum disease. So diabetes can actually worsen gum disease, and vice versa. Gum disease can worsen your diabetic control or your blood sugar control. We have several studies that have shown that if you get your diabetes under good control, it improves your periodontal health or your gum health. And if you get your gum health under good control, it can improve your diabetes.
Interviewer: With diabetes, is there anything special they should be doing to make sure that their gums are healthy?
Dr. Thunell: Well, as many as 75% of diabetics have periodontal disease. And so it's critical for diabetics . . . if you know you have diabetes, you should be seeing your dental professional, your dental hygienist, regularly for dental care, for gum care to give you the best possible outcomes.
Emerging Links to Cancer Risk
Interviewer: And what about number two?
Dr. Thunell: Number two, cancers. So, not a link that you would naturally think of, whereas these others that we've discussed so far all have that common systemic inflammatory link. The link between periodontal disease or gum disease and cancer is not well understood or fully understood, but individuals with severe periodontal disease have been shown to have almost a 25% increased risk for certain types of cancers, including pancreatic cancer, oral cancer, colon cancer, as well as others, lung cancer, and breast cancer.
Interviewer: I know that we're still trying to figure out the connection completely, but what on earth could be connected between gum health and cancers?
Dr. Thunell: Yeah, it's a difficult one because we don't really understand it, but we believe that it has, again, something to do along the lines of chronic inflammation, as with these other conditions that we've discussed previously.
Gum Disease and Cognitive Decline
Interviewer: And to finish this out, what is the number one medical condition that links with gum health?
Dr. Thunell: And so our last one is dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Now, these are kind of newer to the scene, not conditions that have been studied as long or as extensively as some of the others that we've discussed previously. But interestingly, recent research has shown that some of the bacteria that cause periodontal disease have been found in the brain tissue of Alzheimer's patients. So we think that there is a connection there.
In periodontal disease, we have what we call our red complex, or our main bacteria that cause periodontal disease. And that red complex consists of three bacteria 鈥 Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola. Those are some wild names, but Porphyromonas gingivalis, or P. gingivalis as we refer to it, has been found in the brain tissue of Alzheimer's patients.
Interviewer: So there's not only a potential link, but having good oral health might be a modifiable risk factor?
Dr. Thunell: Exactly. Also, tooth loss, which is a common consequence of periodontal disease, has been associated with poor cognitive function and an increased risk for dementia.
Recognizing the Signs of Gum Disease Early
Interviewer: There is a lot of evidence saying that there is a connection between gum disease and your overall health. So what can people do to prevent some of these things?
Dr. Thunell: Well, as I mentioned before, first and foremost, we strongly encourage individuals to seek out regular dental care with their dentist, with their hygienist, and to have a proper periodontal screening done as well to determine if they have signs of periodontal disease or gum disease, and then to seek appropriate treatment for that.
Interviewer: Now, what are some of those signs of gum disease? What should people be on the lookout for?
Dr. Thunell: The main signs are going to be bleeding gums, maybe a dark purplish hue color to your gums, and loose teeth. And gum disease has a distinct odor to it as well. So if you notice a constant, distinct odor in your mouth, that could also be a sign of periodontal disease or gum disease.
How to Protect Your Gums鈥攁nd Your Health
Interviewer: All right. So, as a periodontist, what is one thing that you wish every single person listening to this piece knew about their gum disease and their health?
Dr. Thunell: Well, I would say first and foremost, know that gum disease is a disease that can be managed, can be treated, and you can live a long life with all of your teeth and have gum disease as long as you seek out regular care.
We learned here that gum health significantly impacts our overall health, and so it's just imperative that individuals maintain optimal oral health and see their dental professional regularly for exams and cleanings.
5 Health Concerns Associated with Gum Disease You May Not Know About
Daniel Thunell, DMD, board-certified periodontist, explains how inflammation in your mouth could impact your long-term wellness鈥攁nd what you can do to prevent it.
How to Access Affordable Dental Care
Dental health is crucial, but not always affordable for all budgets. James Bekker, DMD, from University of Utah School of Dentistry, offers an insider's guide to finding and utilizing low-cost dental services.
Understanding Tooth Sensitivity and How to Manage It
Feeling discomfort when eating hot or cold foods? Tooth sensitivity can be more than just a minor annoyance鈥攊t could signal a deeper issue. David Okano, MD, breaks down what different...
