Gum Disease & Total Body Health

There are links between gum disease and  other  health conditions. The link between gum disease and some of the more serious health conditions is one of the reasons it’s important to educate people of good oral healthcare.

Here are a few of the connections that have been suggested between gum disease and other illnesses and conditions.

Other diseases that have had a suggested connection to gum disease include osteoporosis, neurological degeneration including Alzheimer’s and dementia, respiratory disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

More scientific research is needed to determine if there is a cause-and-effect relationship between the systemic diseases and gum disease inflammation. It is clear by any measure, however, that gum disease isn’t helping the situation in any of these systemic conditions. There is a relationship between the gum disease and these diseases, even if it’s limited to the fact that people who have gum disease tend to have an unhealthy lifestyle that contributes to these conditions.

The good news is that moderate to severe periodontal disease is treatable. Traditional surgery has long been the only option. However, the FDA cleared the LANAP® protocol as a laser surgery option that facilitates a less painful, more successful treatment with a shorter recovery time. (For more information on the FDA-cleared LANAP® protocol, visit www.LANAP.com.) If you currently suffer from one of these systemic conditions, ask your dentist if you are at risk for gum disease and what treatment is right for you.