The gateway to health

YOUR MOUTH: GUM DISEASE LINKED TO MORE THAN 50 SYSTEMIC CONDITIONS

- Hein Kaiser

Most people think oral care begins and ends with brushing. It’s not enough.

New research suggests that your mouth might just be the starting point for your overall health. Or the ending point, quickening wellness decline.

Gum disease has now been linked to more than 50 systemic conditions. It’s not just about a bright smile and a lingering kiss.

“Your mouth is the gateway to your body,” said oral hygienist Dirna Grobbelaar of Ivohealth.

“The same bacteria that cause gum disease can enter the bloodstream through inflamed gum tissue and contribute to inflammation elsewhere.

“This can raise your risk of heart disease, diabetes, respiratory illness and even cognitive decline.”

She said that scientists have found the same bacteria that live in infected gums in the arteries of heart patients and the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.

“Chronic oral inflammation affects the body’s immune response,” Grobbelaar said. “That can worsen diabetes and other conditions that thrive on inflammation.”