Why is oral health important to my overall health?

Oral health has a bigger impact on your overall health than you likely suspect. Inflammation and disease in the mouth can have a negative impact throughout your whole body and lead to some very serious conditions. Bacterial, viral and fungal pathogens contribute to arterial disease (50% of heart attacks and strokes!) metabolic disease (insulin resistance, prediabetes, Type 2 Diabetes), cancer, dementia, high risk pregnancy, and inflammatory arthritis.

One of the key players in this oral systemic connection are the bacteria that live in your mouth. There are both good and bad bacteria that inhabit the mouth, the “oral microbiome.” The goal is to maintain barriers to invasion locally (gingivitis and periodontitis) and systemically (arterial injury) reduce the population of the bad bacteria and create an environment to promote good bacteria.

While colonization may be difficult or impossible to eliminate, prevention of infection of gums and systemic invasion are the primary goals of an optimal oral hygiene routine. Brushing and flossing are the foundation of good oral hygiene, but may not be enough if bad bacteria have taken hold.

How are bad bacteria detected?

Visual inspection alone will not pick up the presence of high risk bacteria. Even if your gum tissues appear healthy, these bacteria may invade subtle pockets of inflammation or be opportunistic for a lapse in hygiene or the barrier to invasion associated with healthy gums. This can turn colonization into infection and inflammation in the gums, arteries and elsewhere.

More and more dentists and hygienists are highlighting the connection between the mouth and the rest of the body. If your dental care providers are on board with this focus, you are fortunate. If your dentist is unaware or uninterested in this connection, The CureCenter can recommend oral health providers who are on board for at least a second opinion and perhaps a transfer of care.

We use saliva testing to measure the amount of bad or pathogenic bacteria in the mouth. The results will motivate a plan (provided by a dental professional) to address the concern. The key is to reduce the level of bad bacteria that contribute to chronic disease and preserve barriers to invasiveness locally and systemically. For more detail, click SimplyPerio. In general, I classify Fn as “bad, Td and Tf as “worse” and Pg and Aa as “the worst” bacteria to be present in the mouth.

For more details go to https://simplytest.solutions/testing/saliva-perio-testing/

What should my dentist be looking for?

Dentists who are on the leading edge of oral care use cone beam/3D CT scans to look for presymptomatic abscesses and other issues that may be missed by routine examination and standard x-rays. These conditions don't always cause symptoms that would cause concern. This can be dangerous because the first noticeable symptom could be a heart attack or stroke. High risk oral pathogens can also contribute to poor control of diabetes and prediabetes.

We recommend cone beam CT, especially for our patients who have had prior events or elevated myeloperoxidase (MPO). Traditional x-rays will routinely miss abscesses that could be driving arterial inflammation and increase the likelihood of heart attack or stroke. For example, old root canals can be sites of chronic inflammation but detection may not be possible without use of the cone beam CT. 

At the CureCenter, we will work with your current dentist to gather this type of information if they show an interest. If not, we can recommend a dentist who we know is on board with this process.

What can I do to avoid oral health issues?

Choose a dental professional who understands concerns beyond your teeth. You can find this out by learning if your dentist has participated in continuing education about the oral systemic connection. Regularly visit this dental professional and make sure they provide an ongoing treatment plan for any issues. Follow their plan.

Get saliva testing at least once to discover any bad bacteria that may be present. We have seen patients that have no obvious issues or new cavities that have had significant levels of dangerous bacteria in spite of their current dental plan. Don’t let colonization with these bacteria become invasive infection in your gums or arteries.

Associations between high risk (red complex) oral bacteria and serious medical conditions and complications.

Follow a daily routine to maintain proper oral care and prevent bad bacteria from growing in your mouth. Daily brushing and flossing can be augmented with use of a waterpik and dental picks. Use a pH neutral mouth rinse twice daily to help promote healthy bacteria that protect teeth and gums. Brush your entire mouth, not just the teeth and gums, and always go to bed with a clean mouth.

During the day, choose 100% xylitol gum or mints and eat tooth protecting foods (low carb/high protein) at the end of meals or snacks.

Get regular cleanings and follow the advice of your dental professional. They are your best resource for learning to avoid oral systemic disease.

Ask your dentist about PerioProtect, a system that delivers an antibacterial solution to the areas below the gumline where brushing and mouthwashes/rinses won’t reach. If your current dentist does not offer Perioprotect, we are happy to suggest one who will.