OPEN WIDE..... Part One
4 things to know about your mouth right now:
Beyond your nightly floss-and-brush routine and regular dentist visits, does your mouth get much attention? It should! "The mouth is the gateway to the rest of the body." says Dr. Andrea Veisman, a Toronto dentist. "Chinese medicine practioners check inside the mouth before evaluating anything else - overall health is tied to oral health." Need more reasons to pay attention to your teeth? Sink your pearly whites into these important morsels.
THE MESSAGE:
Periodontal disease is linked to other disease. The relationship between periodontal disease - a chronic bacterial infection of the teeth, gums and supporting bones - and other illnesses, has long been studied. "The Universities of Toronto and Western Ontario have uncovered links with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, low birth weight and pre-term delivery in pregnant women," says Dr. Lyon Tomkins, President of the Ontario Dental Association. While we don't fully understand how one influences the other, "the by-products of this serious and insidious inflammation are circulated through the bloodstream, causing other problems," she says. A recent study at New York University has found a correlational link between periodontal disease and Alzheimer's; those with periodontal disease were at increased risk of lower cognitive function. "There is some thought that the inflammation in the mouth can somehow cause inflammation in the brain." Veisman says.
THE LESSON:
Only your dentist can diagnose periodontal disease; although it may appear similar, it is far more serious than gingivitis (mild inflammation of the gums), Tomkins says. For patients with diabetes or heart conditions, Veisman advises visits every three to four months, "And of course, you have to be vigilant in keeping the mouth extremely clean," she says.
....cont.
Beyond your nightly floss-and-brush routine and regular dentist visits, does your mouth get much attention? It should! "The mouth is the gateway to the rest of the body." says Dr. Andrea Veisman, a Toronto dentist. "Chinese medicine practioners check inside the mouth before evaluating anything else - overall health is tied to oral health." Need more reasons to pay attention to your teeth? Sink your pearly whites into these important morsels.
THE MESSAGE:
Periodontal disease is linked to other disease. The relationship between periodontal disease - a chronic bacterial infection of the teeth, gums and supporting bones - and other illnesses, has long been studied. "The Universities of Toronto and Western Ontario have uncovered links with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, low birth weight and pre-term delivery in pregnant women," says Dr. Lyon Tomkins, President of the Ontario Dental Association. While we don't fully understand how one influences the other, "the by-products of this serious and insidious inflammation are circulated through the bloodstream, causing other problems," she says. A recent study at New York University has found a correlational link between periodontal disease and Alzheimer's; those with periodontal disease were at increased risk of lower cognitive function. "There is some thought that the inflammation in the mouth can somehow cause inflammation in the brain." Veisman says.
THE LESSON:
Only your dentist can diagnose periodontal disease; although it may appear similar, it is far more serious than gingivitis (mild inflammation of the gums), Tomkins says. For patients with diabetes or heart conditions, Veisman advises visits every three to four months, "And of course, you have to be vigilant in keeping the mouth extremely clean," she says.
....cont.
