Inflammation drives connections between oral, respiratory health
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Key takeaways:
- Patients may not be aware of links between their oral and systemic health.
- Oral bacteria can infiltrate the lungs and other bodily systems.
- Lung function improved with periodontal treatment.
As a dentist, I believe it is crucial to highlight the growing evidence linking periodontal health with systemic conditions, particularly respiratory diseases.
We know that many patients may not be aware of the connections between oral health and their overall physical wellness. They often view the mouth separate from the rest of the body. It is not uncommon to have patients present to our dental office at Happy Tooth wanting to have their teeth polished or whitened, unaware of having periodontal disease and, symptomless, refusing its treatment.
Continued research reinforces what we already know about the relationship between oral and systemic diseases and how it is largely driven by inflammatory processes. And collectively, as health care providers, across all industries, all specialties, it is not something we can ignore.
Periodontitis is the most prevalent human infection, with most adults suffering with some degree of it. We know it to trigger inflammatory cascades, allowing harmful oral bacteria to infiltrate bodily systems outside the mouth. This exacerbates chronic inflammation and can complicate existing health issues.
Notably, there is a correlation between periodontal disease and respiratory conditions such as COPD. Managing dental biofilm could potentially mitigate the airborne transmission of inflammatory bacteria, enhancing pulmonary function and reducing lung inflammation. But the correlation does not stop there.
We know periodontal disease to be related to cardiovascular disease; metabolic disease; erectile dysfunction; osteoporosis; diabetes; adverse pregnancy outcomes; rheumatoid arthritis; chronic kidney disease; oral, esophageal, gastric, lung, prostate and pancreatic cancer; impairment; and cognitive function. And the list goes on and on, almost without stopping as research continues.
In a recent clinical trial involving healthy never-smokers with periodontitis, significant improvements in lung function were observed following periodontal therapy. This finding underscores the critical role managing periodontal health can play in supporting respiratory outcomes.
We are at a pivotal moment in both dentistry and medicine, where interdisciplinary collaboration has tremendous potential. We are in a place where we can offer our patients a significant opportunity for improvement. But in creating that, we must be willing to change the narrative. We must be willing to bring awareness and educate our patients that the mouth is not separate from the rest of the body.
As dentists, we welcome medical doctors onboard into the uphill battle we have been fighting with our patients in attempting to make them realize that a dental cleaning has to do with much more than just brightening their teeth. This potential partnership that we are about to embark on epitomizes a shift toward comprehensive care.
It is truly no disrespect to myself or my profession, but we should not hide from the fact that patients place the advice of their physicians above that of their dentist. And this does not mean that the physician holds the health of the patients in a higher regard than the dentist. This is just part of the culture we live in. Or perhaps this has simply been my experience.
If this new collaborative effort in understanding and treating our patients, putting oral-systemic health links front and center when appropriate, the patient, above all others, is the beneficiary of this collaborative effort.
References:
- Demmer RT, et al. Periodontol 2000. 2010;doi:10.1111/j.1600-0757.2009.00326.x.
- Hajishengallis G, et al. Nat Rev Immunol. 2021;doi:10.1038/s41577-020-00488-6.
- Holtfreter B, et al. J Clin Periodontol. 2009; doi:10.1111/j.1600-051X.2008.01361.x.
- Røsland A, et al. Poster 734. Presented at: European Respiratory Society International Congress; Sept. 7-11, 2024; Vienna.
For more information:
Maggie Augustyn, DDS, FAAIP, FICOI, is a Dawson-trained practicing general dentist, author and speaker. She can be reached at drmaggie@myhappytooth.com.