HOW YOUR DENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS YOU

We have all been told that we must see the dentist for regular upkeep and maintenance of our pearly whites. And mind you, this is with good reason. A combination of poor oral hygiene, unhealthy habits like smoking, further complicated by systemic diseases such as diabetes can spell disaster in terms of oral health. In patients with poor oral hygiene, bacteria grows rapidly over time and oftentimes, it leads to gum or periodontal disease. One of the most common effects of periodontal disease is losing teeth since most of its supporting structures have already been damaged due to gum problems. Hence, they become mobile and eventually will need to be removed. So what comes next after a tooth has been extracted? This then leads to a series of unfortunate situations with missing teeth needing to be replaced as soon as possible. If this is not done, we are unable to chew properly which then impacts our digestive ability. So you see, a seemingly innocent problem on teeth may not be that simple after all.

This is also the reason why we see more bone loss in smokers suffering from periodontal disease. Take note, this vasoconstrictor effect is not limited only to blood supply; it can also decrease the flow of saliva. So what happens when we have decreased saliva? We develop more cavities. Lastly, smoking also has immunosuppressant effects which may contribute to an enhanced susceptibility to periodontitis 3. This means that smoking really increases our risk for gum issues. These things plus other effects such as darkening of the gums, staining of teeth, decreased salivary flow and a distinct, not so-pleasant odor in a smoker’s breath really makes me cringe at the thought of even reaching for one. So the next time you feel like having a puff, maybe you would want to think twice. You’ve been warned.

COVID-19 is another condition that, in recent researches, has been found to have some correlation with oral hygiene. Similar to other phenomena that we have seen with other medical conditions, researchers have found an increased severity of COVID-19 symptoms and complications on people with poor oral health. In a British research done last year, the authors of the study wrote that during lung infection, there is a risk of aspirating the oral secretions into the lungs, which could cause infection. Some of the bacteria present in the mouth that could cause such infections include “Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia… This study concludes that 20 percent of the patients with COVID-19 progress to severe illness with high levels of “inflammatory markers (IL 2, IL-6, IL-10), bacteria, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte count”. They noted that the oral microbial environment and COVID-19 could be linked.” 4. You may have heard about the phenomenon of cytokine storm happening in patients with COVID-19. The inflammatory markers mentioned above (IL 2, IL-6 and IL-10) are all cytokines and can be possibly found in our mouths too during instances of oral infections. So it follows that the more cytokines we have in our mouth, the more it puts us at risk to having a more severe manifestation of COVID -19 complications. And mind you, this does not occur only when there is an active COVID-19 infection; it can even extend well beyond into the post- viral stage. It has been noted that the repercussions of COVID -19 can be in our system for the long haul.

Diabetes is another condition that is highly related to COVID-19. This disease is the 6 th leading cause of death in the Philippines. It affects over 6 million Filipinos as of 2016, and is a big concern just as much as dental decay is a pressing pandemic that is right under our noses but we fail to acknowledge. A diabetic usually has an altered and prolonged response to infection. So any inflammation inside our mouth is, in fact, exacerbated by diabetes. It is established that diabetics have a higher rate of periodontal disease, loss of teeth, gum boils, etc. They also have a poorer response to treatment making them very difficult patients to treat successfully in the clinic.

So now that we know that our oral health affects our well being and vice versa, we must make sure that we exhaust all means to keep our pearly whites in tip top shape. A regular trip to the dentist is important, just as much as an annual health check is part of our routine. Stay safe and healthy, you guys!