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The Mouth and Body Connection Transcript

The hospital can be a frightening place, filled with uncertainty and distress.  You look over at the man being wheeled to Room 24, as the nurse continuously performs CPR and gives him shocks.  You look over to the young woman who just had her second round of chemotherapy.  You see a pregnant woman crying over the baby she just lost.  From a bystander’s perspective, you may feel like everything is out of your control.  From a patient’s perspective, you may feel like you did everything in your power to avoid this dreaded situation.  What if I was to tell you that all three of these situations were preventable?

Heart disease, cancer, accidents, chronic lower respiratory disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, influenza.  These are the top eight causes of deaths in humans.

Seven out of eight.  That is how many of these causes should have never happened.  That is how many are directly impacted by periodontal disease.  That is what serves as the foundation for the “mouth and body” connection.

Now, what exactly is “periodontal disease”?  Gum disease.  Yes: the very tissue infection in your mouth that is caused by the lack of proper brushing and flossing habits.  

How could spending a few minutes every day to care for your oral hygiene keep you from being the man and two women at the hospital?  How is your dentist suddenly the one reducing your risk of heart disease?  I mean, I thought all dentists did was whiten your teeth, remove your cavities, and send you on your way with a sticker and the date for your next appointment.

According to statistics compiled by Smile Generation, people with unhealthy gums are x2-3 more likely to get a heart attack, x2.6 more likely to get Alzeihmer’s, and x4.5 more likely to get a stroke.  The health of your gums impacts all aspects of our and Sam’s health.

Meet 36 year old Sam.  Sam loves to run and stay active.  Unfortunately for him and his breath, Sam does not brush or floss regularly.  From the outside, he seems completely healthy.  However, on the inside, there are two main processes that could be occurring.

ONE: direct mechanism.  After all those years of improper oral care, Sam has gotten an infection.  Due to this, periodontal pockets, which are deep spaces around teeth, start to form.  As Sam’s oral health continues to decline, the tissue around the pockets start to ulcerate due to the bacteria.  This ulceration of the tissue that lines the digestive tract allows for the oral bacteria to directly enter Sam’s esophagus, stomach, intestines, and other vital organs.  

Now, on the other hand, Sam’s lack of hygiene can cause–TWO–an indirect mechanism.  When the periodontal bacteria or their by-products are detected, the immune system sends signals to white blood cells.  These fighting cells mistakenly attack Sam’s healthy tissue, causing an inflammatory response.  

How could not brushing lead to someone’s insides getting swole?  The initial inflammation heightens the accumulation of cholesterol in Sam’s artery walls, though, due to his healthy lifestyle, no one would suspect this.  The cholesterol weakens the endothelium and increases chances of rupture and hemorrhage, causing blood clots that could block the flow of blood to the heart and brain.  

Okay, but… In times like these–with the ever growing COVID-19 pandemic–, isn’t the health of our gums the least of our priorities?  Well, yes and no.  It is vital to keep ourselves healthy and quarantined.  However, if one were to contract the virus, their healthy gums could save their life.

A study by Victoria and Ariane Sampson and Nawar Kamona of the UK earlier this year focused on the effects of periodontal disease on COVID-19 recovery.  To preface, we know that patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity have harder recoveries from COVID-19.  Did you know that periodontal disease plays a role in all of these risks? 

Though Sam’s 500 push-ups, three protein shakes, and ten mile daily runs help keep his heart pumping, his thirty second brushing routine prevents him from becoming his healthiest self. 

Due to bad oral hygiene, respiratory infections and post-viral bacteria complications are heightened.  With a deep inhale, all the bacteria-filled saliva can go into your lungs.  Imagine inhaling the bacteria from all those protein shakes.  Yikes.

According to the UK study, 20% of patients with severe forms of COVID-19 had increased levels of bacteria and inflammation in their mouths.  Even now… or rather ESPECIALLY now… oral health is important.

Your oral health can truly impact everything from your heart, your brain, your breathing, your unborn baby, and, ultimately, the quality and longevity of your life.  

It is up to us children and teens to increase awareness by advocating for oral health; do not just be a bystander.

A healthy mouth means a healthy body and a smiling Sam!:)

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