Facts:
• Inflammation is the number one cause of death, and oral inflammation is the number one source of inflammation in humans.
• Oral inflammation plays a key role in overall inflammation and inflammatory disease.
• Dental professionals are in charge of reducing oral inflammation.
Groundbreaking research emerges daily on the importance of oral health and overall health. Take these studies, for instance:
• The American Heart Association Journal cites research showing the direct connection between oral pathogens (associated with periodontal disease) and acute heart attacks. It states that as many as half of heart attacks are being triggered by oral pathogens. Oral health and dental care should be part of heart attack prevention.
• With more than a half million participants, it was shown that periodontal disease is an important risk factor for stroke. Most importantly, it showed that periodontal treatment reduced risk for stroke.
• Appropriate periodontal treatment has been shown to be as effective in lowering the A1C levels in diabetic patients as most medications, but without the adverse side effects. Reduction in oral inflammation in diabetic patients can reduce their yearly overall health-care costs by up to 25%.
• The subject of oral health-related dementia is nothing new, either. Several recent studies have concluded that periodontal disease and/or tooth loss early in life indicates an increased risk of dementia.
• New research is finding that common oral pathogens may not only contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s—they may cause it.
What the Medical Field Says…
Oral inflammation has a huge effect on overall inflammatory disease, and its elimination is not only helpful but is being demanded by the medical community. At a recent heart symposium Dr. Marc Penn, MD, PhD, former director of the cardiac intensive care unit at Cleveland Clinic, boldly and correctly stated, “Don’t ever forget to look at periodontal disease as an important source of inflammation in reference to cardiovascular disease.”
Doctor Lloyd Rudy — one of the most influential cardiovascular surgeons in cardiology — puts it best when he compares the body’s inflammatory response to infection, to a house fire. Inflammation is fire. When vascular walls around the heart catch fire, we have heart attacks and strokes. Think of the body as a house and the mouth as the kitchen — when we have gum disease, we have a “fire” in our “kitchen” that may “burn down the house.”
The latest research is bringing to light undisputable truth:
Oral health is an integral part of preventive cardiology, a substantial adjunct to diabetic care, and a major part of the prevention of any inflammatory disease. That’s why treating oral inflammation is so important. That is why looking at periodontal disease through the new lens of oral-systemic health is so critical for our patient’s health.
Most of the time, you cannot see inflammation. It does not even hurt. But our dental professionals can now administer a medical test for it and this simple test is included in every dental exam.
We know what the problem is. By now, the research is obvious. In the past, we have not been able to quantify the problem or the treatment. Now we can and are doing it every day. We no longer consider the mouth as a separate part of the body – it’s the most important part.
The mouth is where life begins. Let’s not let it end there!
Take a few minutes and watch these 2 videos. One you’ll be amazed with and the other is a straightforward explanation by Dr. Mike of why and how our treatment works.