Schedule Your Consultation: 303-773-8752

A Healthy Mouth Makes a Healthy Body #1

Keeping your body healthy involves more than eating nutritious foods and getting the occasional bit of exercise. In fact, research has been done which increasingly reinforces the relationship between oral health and body health.

In an article at theEverydayHealth.com website, the correlation between oral health and overall health is clearly outlined. Though the "nature of this link still isn't clear — researchers have yet to conclude whether the connections are causal or correlative — what is certain is that the condition of your mouth is closely tied to your overall physical health." This connection between oral health and your body affects those with diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and even complications during pregnancy.

Oral Health and Diabetes

As explained in the article, "Doctors have known for years that type 2 diabetics have an increased incidence of periodontitis, or gum disease. In July 2008 the connection was further highlighted [when] Researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health followed 9,296 non-diabetic participants, measuring their level of periodontic bacteria over the course of 20 years. ‘We found that people who had higher levels of periodontal disease had a twofold risk of developing type 2 diabetes over that time period compared to people with low levels or no gum disease,’ explains Ryan Demmer, PhD, associate researcher at the department of epidemiology at the Mailman School and the lead author."

"While more research is needed before doctors can conclude that gum disease actually leads to diabetes, there are already a few theories about why this might be the case. One proposes that when infections in your mouth get bad enough, they can lead to low-grade inflammation throughout your body, which in turn wreaks havoc on your sugar-processing abilities. ‘There are all kinds of inflammatory molecules,’ [said] Dr. Demmer, ‘and it's believed that maybe some attach to insulin receptors and prevent the body's cells from using the insulin to get glucose into the cell.’"

The doctors and staff at The Colorado Center for Implant and Prosthetic Dentistry are available to help you determine effective solutions to all of your dental problems. If you would like more information from your Littleton area Prosthodontist, please call to make an appointment today.

Call Now To Schedule Your Consultation

303-773-8752

Get Your Consultation

Please fill out this form and you will be contact by a member of our team as quickly as possible to get your consultation scheduled.