oral health month: stomach cancer, stroke, problems with pregnancy all linked to poor oral health

according to the canadian dental association (cda), gum disease is the most common dental problem dentists see, and seven out of 10 canadians will have it at some point in their lives. when plaque sticks to the edge of your gums and is not removed through brushing and flossing, it hardens into tartar. this can cause bacterial infection, called gingivitis. it’s not painful, but you’ll notice your gums getting a little swollen and they may bleed when you brush or floss. left untreated, gingivitis can lead to the more serious periodontitis, and you could risk losing a tooth or two. bacteria can also seep into the bloodstream, spreading to various organs where it could wreak potentially deadly havoc.

gum disease can affect your overall health

researchers have discovered a possible association between poor oral health and certain diseases , like diabetes, heart disease, crohn’s disease, respiratory diseases, cancer, and stroke. and while there is a “common denominator,” says dr. ryan noh, assistant professor of the undergraduate program in periodontics at the university of toronto’s faculty of dentistry, he cautions that the evidence is not quite there yet.

“for instance, it has been demonstrated that periodontal bacteria can directly invade walls of vessels and influence the formation and progression of atheroma plaque [the fatty material that builds up in the arteries, which could lead to heart attack or stroke],” says noh.“both atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease [described by the nih as a narrowing of the arteries] and periodontitis share many common risk factors, such as smoking, inadequate oral hygiene, diabetes mellitus, and obesity, [but] it is hard to definitively conclude that periodontitis is a primary causal factor for acvd.”

studies show link between periodontitis and stroke, diabetes and kidney disease

in 2020, european and american researchers found enough evidence to support associations between severe periodontitis and cardiovascular disease and stroke as well as kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes. researchers at the mayo clinic have found that certain mouth bacteria can invade the lungs, causing pneumonia and other respiratory diseases. but this is found mainly in patients who are hospitalized or in nursing homes, and in those who are unable to floss or brush on their own.

crohn’s disease can be spotted in the mouth

leong also sees many patients with crohn’s disease .

according to the canadian cancer society , oral cavity cancer is included in the general category of head and neck cancer — a diagnosis that about 7,500 canadians receive each year, with 2,100 dying from it. smoking or chewing tobacco, heavy alcohol use, and being infected with the human papillomavirus (hpv) also increase the risk of oral cancer.

researchers at harvard’s t.h. chan school of public health also found that those with longstanding gum disease have a 52 per cent higher risk of developing stomach cancer and a 43 per cent higher risk of esophageal cancer. studies by medical journal the lancet also found higher risks of total cancer incidence as a result of poor oral health.

some diseases make gum disease worse

on the flip side, some diseases and conditions can cause or exacerbate gum disease, particularly hiv/aids , autoimmune diseases such as celiac, and diabetes. (however, most people with hiv/aids are being treated with antiretroviral therapy, which reduces the risk of oral problems.)

how gum disease affects pregnancy

in fact, the centers for disease control reports that between 60 and 75 per cent of pregnant women have gingivitis, and that periodontal disease, which may be aggravated by changing hormones, has been associated with poor pregnancy outcomes. research also notes that pregnant women who have cavity-causing bacteria can transmit it from their mouth to their baby’s. the cdc acknowledges, however, that the connection between poor oral health and adverse pregnancies is not fully understood.

for more tips on practicing good oral health, check out the canadian dental association.

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oral health month: stomach cancer, stroke, problems with pregnancy all linked to poor oral health

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