Good oral health is now recognised to be necessary for complete overall health. Recent understanding now points to periodontal (gum) disease as an additional, independent risk factor for conditions such as diabetes, lung disease, heart disease and stroke.
OUR DENTAL TREATMENTS
Good oral health is now recognised to be necessary for complete overall health. Recent understanding now points to periodontal (gum) disease as an additional, independent risk factor for conditions such as diabetes, lung disease, heart disease and stroke. The connections between periodontal disease, osteoporosis, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease are also being explored.
Oral health can also have a significant impact upon quality of life, social communication, confidence and your ability to enjoy a healthy and varied diet. Healthy digestion begins in the mouth with proper chewing of food into digestible sizes. Therefore in many ways, the mouth is the first priority in securing your future general and overall health.
Most people experience some form of gum disease at least once in their life and this disease is a major cause of tooth loss in adults in the UK. Gum disease affects 45 per cent of adults according to the 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey. This figure rises notably in the over 50s (www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB01086/adul-dent-heal-surv-summ-them-the2-2009-rep4.pdf).
More and more patients are coming to VIDA because they have been diagnosed with medical conditions which are associated with gum disease and they want to reduce the impact of poor gum health on their overall health.
Healthy gums are also needed before any restorative treatment or tooth straightening such as crowns or bridges, veneers, implants, whitening.
In 2010, there were approximately 3.1 million people aged 16 or over with diabetes in England. By 2030, this figure is expected to rise to 4.6 million. At VIDA we are committed to reducing dental problems in those diagnosed with diabetes.
The effect of high blood sugars (hyperglycaemia) often leads to an increased susceptibility to diseases of the mouth such as gum (periodontal) diseases, dry mouth (xerostomia), dental decay, abscesses and oral thrush (candidiasis). These susceptibilities need to be recognised and addressed by the caring dentists at VIDA. The link between diabetes and gum disease, which the NHS says is present in more than half of UK adults, has been known for many years, however it was only in 2012 that scientists proved that gum disease is linked to Type 2 diabetes.
At VIDA we have increased knowledge of diabetes care and can help you modify those factors within your control to reduce your future risk of dental disease.
Can having healthy gums prevent diabetes?
Inflammation in the mouth will increase the risk of developing diabetes. In other words, healthy gums that are not inflamed will help avoid the onset of diabetes.
If I already have diabetes will improving my gum health help my diabetes?
If you already have diabetes, having poor gum health will make it harder to control your blood sugar levels. Sadly, having diabetes will also increase the risk of inflammation in the first place, creating a vicious circle. The good news is that treatment of periodontal disease can have a beneficial effect upon the control of blood sugar levels. This has major benefits for both dental and general health.
I am a diabetic with some gum disease but how likely is it that I will start to lose bone as a result of my gum disease?
For a person with diabetes, the risk of developing periodontal disease (gum disease that is affecting the bone around teeth) is approximately three times that of a person without diabetes.
Why do I suffer from oral thrush more frequently as a diabetic?
People with diabetes can develop clinical signs of infection at a lower candidal load than patients without diabetes. This seems to be linked to glycemic control because the glucose levels in saliva mirror those in the blood and when glucose levels are higher in saliva, candida attaches to the mouth more easily. The poor glycemic control also makes it harder to eradicate the infection. To make matters worse, the dry mouth found in many diabetes patients will also predispose them to candidal infections.
Your VIDA dentist will pick up the signs of candida at your healthy mouth review, as sometimes you experience no symptoms. At any time you notice redness, soreness or cracking at the corners of your mouth, please make an appointment to see your VIDA dentist.
Your doctor can help advise you on good glycemic control.
There is strong evidence that inflammation in the mouth, in particular from gum disease, can increase the risk of someone getting heart disease.
At VIDA we also recognise that people with gum disease are three times as likely to have a heart attack as those without gum disease.
Your doctors also understand that tooth problems around the time of heart surgery are so significant that that they must be dealt with prior to cardiac surgery. Therefore it is now routine for patients to be asked to have a dental examination and treatment prior to their surgery. VIDA dentists are often asked to complete these checks and we are well placed to identify problems that can complicate cardiac care.
Studies have shown that treating periodontal disease reduces the serum markers (markers that doctors measure in blood tests) for blood vessel disease and also results in significant improvements in blood flow through vessels. This would have marked benefits in prevention of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular events. The size of change that periodontal treatment can provide does need further evaluation, but at VIDA we know every risk must be minimised.
It has also been shown that gum inflammation is associated with raised cholesterol levels (which is a significant risk factor for atheroma formation and heart disease) and that periodontal treatment will decrease cholesterol levels. However more research is needed to determine the long-term therapeutic benefits of such treatment.
Only one in six people realise gum disease increases the risk of stroke or diabetes, and just one in three is aware of the heart disease link, according to the British Dental Health Foundation.
Osteoporosis affects the bones of the jaws and both osteoporosis and some of the medications used to treat it can affect how we manage some dental problems.
Many patients are taking Methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis and ask us whether they can still have dental implants, because they understand that Methotrexate affects bone metabolism. To answer this question we turn to scientific research, however there is very little research into this very specific question. Implant failures have been known in patients taking Methotrexate however we cannot be certain that the drug was the reason for implant failure. Failures can occur for a great number of different reasons and furthermore failures can occur many years in future therefore it could take many years of following methotrexate patients in order to establish a link between this drug and implant failure, if one exists.
At VIDA we take a balanced view and may advise avoiding dental implants for those patients who have valid alternatives that will deliver an adequate quality of life and health.
The kidneys are one of the most important organs when it comes to bone metabolism or turnover. As teeth are supported by bone, anything that affects bone metabolism can affect the teeth. Kidney disease, and the medication used to treat it, can cause a number of problems in the mouth including dry mouth (xerostomia), mobile teeth, inflammation of the mouth and salivary glands.
If you have kidney disease your VIDA dentist may want to liaise with your doctor prior to the start of any complex treatment to ensure you receive the very best care and attention.
Teeth are usually able to withstand normal wear and tear, but excessive wear can occur as a result of acid reflux. Acid from the stomach can soften the surface of the teeth that will then wear more rapidly than normal. The upper front teeth may get thinner and appear more translucent. They may start to chip at the tips and may eventually appear shorter.
If gastric reflux is the cause of the wear of the teeth, your dentist and doctor may need to work together to find the best way to treat this problem.
A similar erosive or acid wear of the teeth can occur following a regular intake of acidic food and drink, for example fizzy drinks or citrus fruits. In these cases the pattern of wear is different and your dentist can advise you who to protect your teeth, prevent further wear and treat any tooth wear that has occurred.
Your mouth can show the first symptoms of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The main nutrients that can affect the mouth are Vitamin B12, folic acid and iron.
Your VIDA dentist will check for smooth or sore tongue, oral ulceration, and sore spots at the corner of the mouth and oral thrush. If you or your dentist notice these signs, it may be worth seeing your doctor for blood tests.
A dry mouth can be caused by some disease processes e.g. diabetes and Sjrogrens syndrome, and by many medications such as anti-depressants and drugs used to lower blood pressure.
VIDA recognises that saliva has a cleansing and antibacterial effect on the mouth and that a reduction in the flow of saliva can increase the risk of developing dental decay, oral inflammation and fungal infections.
VIDA also understands that lack of saliva can make spreading and eating food more difficult and result in some taste impairment and loss of confidence in social situations; we take this impact on your health and quality of life very seriously.
