"The Clinician's Handbook of Natural Medicine," by naturopathic physician, Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, describes periodontal disease as an inclusive term for the chronic inflammatory process that can destroy the gums and their underlying supportive structures (periodontium). The American Academy of Periodontists (AAP) confirms that periodontal disease can have systemic effects that are linked through inflammation. Periodontal disease can worsen diseases like diabetes, while instigating others like heart disease and stroke.
Inflammation
Infection is at the root of periodontal disease. Without proper preventative care and nutritional defense, the gums and supporting structures become vulnerable to bacterial invasion. To survive in the mouth, the invading bacteria produce chemicals that are damaging to human tissues. The infection, in turn, initiates an innate response by the immune system known as inflammation. Bacteria that invade and infect the gums and periodontium are difficult to reach. The microbes hide deep in the periodontal pocket where the roots of the teeth are situated. Deep in the darkness of the tooth pocket the bacteria thrive, replicate, and find their way into the bloodstream. As the infection is difficult to reach, the inflammatory process is prolonged, becomes detrimental to other systems in the body, and depletes immune system reserves.
Heart Disease and Stroke
Periodontal disease can lead to cardiovascular disease. The AAP issued the warning that people with periodontal disease are two times more likely to suffer from coronary artery disease than those who do not have the disease. An article on the official AAP website titled, "Gum Disease Links to Heart Disease and Stroke," theorizes that the bacteria circulating in the bloodstream cause damage to the inside lining of blood vessels, promoting the development of the clots, which can lead to a heart attack. Similarly, if the blood vessels that distribute blood to the brain are damaged and become occluded due to clot formation, a stroke will likely ensue. The academy discusses a second theory whereby the prolonged inflammatory process involved in chronic periodontal disease will release cascades of chemicals in the body that will eventually damage the blood vessels as well.
Diabetes
The presence of periodontal disease can be a result of diabetes in some people, while in others, the onset of periodontal disease may worsen their diabetes, rendering them less able to control their blood sugar. Diabetics are known to be more susceptible to infections than the general population. The AAP article "Gum Disease and Diabetes," states that a depressed immune system leaves uncontrolled type-2 diabetics susceptible to developing periodontal disease. A 1997 study published in the "Journal of Periodontology" determined that when longstanding periodontal disease was treated, diabetics whose blood sugar was once difficult to control were able to better manage their disease.
Pregnancy Outcome
The AAP also warns that pregnant women are thought to be 7 times more likely to deliver a premature or low-birth weight baby if they have periodontal disease. Researchers, Agueda and Echeverria in their article "Association between Periodontitis in Pregnancy and Preterm or Low Birth Weight: Review of the literature" suggest that the circulating bacteria and inflammatory chemicals induce early labor onset by interacting with the developing fetus.
References
- Medicina oral: "Association between Periodontitis in Pregnancy and Preterm or Low Birth Weight: Review of the Literature"
- American Academy of Periodontists: "Gum Disease Links to Heart Disease and Stroke"
- American Academy of Periodontists: "Gum Disease and Diabetes"
- Journal of Periodontology: "The Management of Inflammation in Periodontal Disease"
- Journal of Periodontology: "Treatment of Periodontal Disease in Diabetes Reduces Glycated Hemoglobin"
