gum disease

Treating Gum Disease Reduces Prostate Symptoms

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Researchers have shown that treating gum disease can lead to a reduction in prostate inflammation or prostatitis. Previous research has shown there is a link between gum disease and prostatitis. The research was conducted at  Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and the Departments of Urology and Pathology at University Hospitals Case Medical Center. The research appear in a journal article of Dentistry titled “Periodontal Treatment Improves Prostate Symptoms and Lowers Serum PSA in Men with High PSA and Chronic Periodontitis.” The study included 27 men who were ages 21 and older. Each man had had a needle biopsy within the past year that showed inflammation of the prostate gland and elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels. The men all were asked questions on the International Prostate Symptom Score regarding their quality of life and if they had any urination … Read more

Modern Britons Have More Gum Disease than Roman Britons

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A study of skulls at the Natural History Museum by King’s College London has shown that the Roman British population from 200 to 400 AD appears to have had less gum disease than we have today. Gum disease is also known as periodontitis and has been covered before numerous times on this blog. The researchers examined 303 skulls from a Roman-British burial ground in Dorset for evidence of dental disease. Around 5% of the skulls showed signs of moderate to severe gum disease compared to today’s population which shows around 15 to 30% of adults have gum disease. Many of the Roman-British skulls showed signs of infections and abscesses and around half had caries (cavities). In addition the skulls showed extensive tooth wear from a young age likely due to their diet. The researchers say that Roman-British population did not … Read more

Periodontal Therapy Impact on General Health

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An interesting article titled “Impact of Periodontal Therapy on General Health,” appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (published online June 18, 2014) and written by Marjorie Jeffcoat and et. al. The authors attempt to estimate the effects of periodontal therapy on medical costs and hospitalizations among those with type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, cerebral vascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and pregnancy. The goal was to see if periodontal disease therapy might prevent or mitigate some of the adverse effects associated with the 5 studied conditions. The authors found significant reductions in healthcare costs and hospital admissions for pregnant women and patients with type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, and cerebral vascular disease. The authors found that the medical costs for pregnant women were 74% lower than for those with untreated periodontal disease. Patients with both type 2 diabetes … Read more

Gum Disease Bacteria may Facilitate Rheumatoid Arthritis

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As stated over on the risks of keeping wisdom teeth page, gum disease (periodontal disease) has been shown to have associations with many different systemic diseases. One such systemic disease is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). So far, any mechanism has remained elusive. In a recent study appearing in PLoS Pathogens, researchers at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry Oral Health and Systemic Diseases and other researchers from the European Union’s Gums and Joints project have uncovered how the bacteria responsible for periodontal disease known as Porphyromonas gingivalis effects rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers showed that this bacteria leads to faster progression, greater severity and earlier onset of RA and can cause bone and cartilage destruction. The researchers found the bacteria produces a unique enzyme, peptidylarginine deiminanse (PAD), which enhances collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), which is an arthritis produced in the lab designed … Read more

Treating Gum Disease in Australians Leads to Better Vascular Health

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According to a new study in the journal of Hypertension, a single session of gum treatment in Aboriginal Australians can lead to a significant decline in the thickening of the wall of the carotid artery a year later. The thickness of the wall of the arteries is a risk factor for heart disease. Aboriginal Australians are generally thought to have poorer oral health and higher rates of cardiovascular disease when compared to other Australian groups. The researchers say that the effect is comparable to a 30% fall in low density lipoprotein cholesterol which is known as bad cholesterol and associated with a decreased risk of heart disease. The researchers also note that such an effect is equivalent to reversing four years of aging or 25 mm Hg lower systolic blood pressure. Periodontal or gum disease is an inflammatory disease which affects … Read more