Did you know?
REGULAR HYGIENE VISITS PREVENT…
ALZHEIMER’S DIABETES ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
HEART DISEASE STROKE PNEUMONIA
PREMATURE BABIES CANCERS & many more!
Whole Health Not Just Oral Health with An ‘Ohh! Flow’
MYTHS
A hygiene visit is only if you have dirty teeth!
A hygiene visit is to polish at the end of your dental treatment.
A hygiene visit is where the dentist sends you when you have been bad!
A hygiene visit is to have your teeth scraped.
You must see the dentist before you can see a Hygienist.
You do not need a hygiene treatment.
FACTS
More than 90% of systemic diseases, or diseases affecting the organs, have symptoms or conditions in the mouth that contribute to the disease. Our ‘Ohh! Flow’ visits promote health & prevent disease, not only preventing the devastation of gum disease and preventing the pain of tooth decay – but also preventing other diseases.
As of May 2013 - you do not have to see a dentist, or be registered with a dentist, to see a hygienist. It is called ‘Direct Access’ you can self-refer – Your choice & Your chance to choose prevention. Trust Ohh!
Your oral health offers clues about your overall health that we can detect early before real problems begin. What other health care professional do you see regularly when you Feel Healthy – prevention is better than cure!
Research has found that the number of teeth we have is strongly linked to how long we will live. Those with 20 or more teeth by the age of 70 had a considerably higher chance of living longer than those with less than 20 teeth. Tooth Loss is almost entirely preventable.
& YES … We do also remove all tooth surface deposit including stains, gently and effectively, with the most up to date information & equipment, and we do whiten teeth & give you fresh breath confidence & ok I will admit - we would love you to FLOSS– but at OHH! we know everyone is human, so we always compromise, and we never tell you off!
What is the connection?
Research has concluded links that in More than 90% of systemic disease, or disease affecting the organs, there are symptoms, or conditions, in the mouth that contribute to the disease.
Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s is a specific disease and is the most common form of Dementia (Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability, severe enough to interfere with daily life), it is responsible for at least 60% of cases of Dementia.
The findings of many research projects and published papers in journals of clinical medicine show that one of the bacteria in gum disease, Porphyromonas Gingivalis (PG) is present in Alzheimer brain samples. Less than 1% of the time Alzheimer’s is caused by specific genetic changes that virtually guarantee a person will develop the disease.
In many studies the research shows that 2 of the 3 main gum disease causing bacteria are motile and have been consistently found in brain tissue, motile bacteria can leave the mouth and enter the brain via 2 routes – they can use their movement capability to directly enter the brain. One of the paths taken is to crawl up the nerves that connect the brain and the roots of the teeth, the Second path is in indirect entry into the brain via the blood circulatory system.
(Dr Sim K Singharo published the findings in the journal of Alzheimer’s disease in 2014)
Dr Singharo reported that in a patient who has bleeding gums the gum disease causing bacteria will enter the blood stream every time they clean their mouth and even when they eat food.
Porphyromonas Gingivalis (PG) is particularly interesting as it has found a way to hitch a lift from red blood cells, when in the blood stream, and instead of getting off the red blood cell bus in the spleen - they choose to get off in the brain at an area where there are no immune checkpoints and from there they spread through the brain, at their will, in addition in older individuals the blood vessels tend to enlarge and become leaky.
Furthermore, the research results demonstrated that the chemicals later released by the brains immune system, in response to Porphyromonas Gingivalis reaching the brain, inadvertently damage functional neurons in the brain related to memory!
Worsening oral health is seen as Alzheimer’s disease progresses which can also impact further on the disease.
Research has shown that those who have healthy gums are 70% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who have suffered from gum disease over a long period of time.
DIABETES
Diabetes affects your body’s ability to process sugar, all the food you eat is turned to sugar and used for energy. Diabetes is a disease that develops internally, and is not ‘brought on by ourselves’, athletes have diabetes type 2 diabetes. This disease does not discriminate.
In type 1 diabetes the body doesn’t make enough insulin (a hormone that carries sugar from your blood to the cells that need it for energy). In type 2 diabetes the body stops responding to insulin -both cases result in high blood sugar levels, which can cause problems with your eyes, nerves, kidneys, heart, and other parts of your body.
Research over the years has shown that those who have gum disease have a harder time controlling their blood sugar levels. Regular hygiene treatments can improve diabetes control, and this was the basis of many a study. The new research, however, has backed up the previous studies but also shows that we are more likely to develop diabetes if we have gum disease.
Chicken and Egg Scenario. There is a two-way relationship, not yet a fully understood clear relationship, between the mechanisms that underpin the links between these two conditions. There is more and more emerging evidence on both sides of what comes first. Diabetes increasing the risk of gum disease or gum inflammation negatively affecting glycaemic control.
By reducing the body’s resistance to infection, diabetes puts your gums at risk, gum disease appears to be more frequent and severe among those who have diabetes. Another complication is that it causes blood vessels to thicken, this slows the flow of nutrients to and waste products from body tissues including the mouth.
The combination of events causes the body to lose its ability to fight infections, and since periodontal (gum) disease is a bacterial infection, people with uncontrolled diabetes experience more frequent and more severe gum disease. Uncontrolled diabetes weakens white blood cells, the body’s main defence against bacterial infections that can occur in the mouth.
The researchers investigating the chicken and egg scenario also investigated the effects of gum disease on deaths from diabetic related causes and this research showed that diabetic individuals with severe gum disease had 3 x the risk of cardiorenal mortality than those diabetic individuals without severe gum disease.
ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
‘Don’t go soft on your oral health routine’ was the message from the Oral Health Foundation back in 2018, after new research found a link between gum disease and erectile dysfunction.
The study, published in the journal of periodontology (gum disease), revealed that men with severe gum disease are more than twice as likely to suffer from impotence compared to those with healthy teeth and gums. Fortunately gum disease is an entirely preventable and treatable disease but avoiding it and lowering the risk of poor performance in the bedroom requires an effective and consistent oral health routine. The research showed that reducing inflammation of the gums results in improved erectile function. (Sources: Martin A, Bravo M, Arrabal M et al (2018) Chronic periodontitis is associated with erectile dysfunction, journal of clinical periodontology 2018;45:791-798.)
More men encounter gum disease than women, nearly 57% of men have some form of gum disease compared to 38.4% of women according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with 70 -90% of sudden heart problems occurring in men.
Male specific health problems in a study published by the journal of sexual medicine found that 53% of participants made up of non-smoking men between the ages of 30 & 40 have severe gum disease and erectile dysfunction.
Although the two issues take place in very different parts of the body, they are both connected to inflammation. The inflammation that occurs in gum disease can damage blood vessels if the bacteria behind it gets into the bloodstream.
The gums and the prostate
Gum disease can also affect the health of a man’s prostate, studies suggest a connection to gum inflammation in the form of prostatitis. A 2015 study published in the Dentistry journal examined what happened to the prostate of 27 men over the age of 21 when they received treatment for their gum disease. Symptoms of prostatitis improved in 21 of the men even though they had only been treated for gum disease.
HEART DISEASE
Endocarditis
This infection of the inner lining of your heart chambers or valves (endocardium) typically occurs when bacteria from another part of your body such as your mouth spread through your blood stream and attach to certain areas in your heart.
Cardiovascular disease
Although the connection is not yet fully understood research shows that heart disease and clogged arteries are linked to the inflammation and infections that oral bacteria can cause.
When we have gum disease the bacteria from our mouth can get into the bloodstream it then produces a protein which causes the blood to thicken this means clots are more likely to form and the heart is not getting the nutrients and oxygen it needs resulting in increased risk of a heart attack.
Cardiovascular disease is the biggest killer in the western world oral bacteria such as Streptococcus Gordoni and Streptococcus Sanguinis are common infecting agents, and we now recognise that bacterial infections are an independent risk factor for heart disease.
Bacteria interact with platelets by mimicking the pressure inside the blood vessels and the heart. The bacteria then use the platelets as a defence mechanism. By clumping the platelets together, the bacteria can completely surround themselves and this platelet armour shields the bacteria from attack by immune cells and makes them less detectable to antibiotics.
STROKE
A new study, published by the Oral Health Foundation 25th November 2019, has found that people with gum disease are around twice as likely to have a stroke. Researchers have discovered that when the gums bleed and become inflamed, it leads to change in how blood and oxygen flows to the brain. Similarly gum disease can also cause inflammation of the blood vessels blocking the blood supply to the brain leading to a potential stroke. This new study also examined more than 2000 previous studies into this area and supports the previous studies. The Stroke Association estimates that over 100,000 strokes occur in the UK every year.
PNEUMONIA
Pneumonia is one of the top causes of death worldwide especially amongst the elderly. Risk factors include poor oral hygiene. Certain bacteria in your mouth can be pulled into your lungs when you inhale, and they can live and grow there. Our immune systems can usually prevent the bacteria from causing problems but when our immune systems are low or busy fighting off another virus or infection the lungs can become inflamed and there is a risk of it leading to bronchitis or causing pneumonia and other respiratory diseases. Additionally, it can make chronic lung disease conditions even worse. There are still studies undergoing which also show a link with asthma. The other route of transmission is the bacteria in bleeding gums can enter the bloodstream and access the lung tissue. This bacterium has also been found in the breathing tubes of ventilated patients as when there is a high bacterial load in the mouth it travels down the tubes into the lungs making their condition worse and harder to treat.
PREMATURE BABIES & INFERTILITY
Pregnancy and birth complications. Periodontitis (Gum Disease) has been linked to premature birth and low birth weight. Pregnant women with healthy gums are around 3 times less likely to have a baby that is premature thus reducing the risk of low birthweight. Research indicates there is a 1in 4 chance that a pregnant woman with gum disease could give birth before 35 weeks this is because gum disease raises the chemicals that bring on labour. Miscarriage risk is also increased. New findings report that women with gum disease take on average 2 months longer to become pregnant.
In men, gum disease and tooth decay have been linked to poor semen and sperm health. Several studies have found that men with poor oral health are more likely to face male factor infertility. low sperm count, poor sperm motility (that’s how the sperm swim), abnormal sperm morphology (that’s the shape of the sperm), and evidence of bacterial infection (bacteriospermia) in the semen are associated with various dental and oral health problems. Erectile dysfunction is also linked to gum disease.
CANCERS
New research which examined date from 65,000 post-menopausal women between the ages of 54 & 86 found those with a history of gum disease were 14% more likely to develop cancer
Pancreatic cancer - Harvard school of public health 2007 periodontitis (gum disease) study, involved 51.000 men and began collecting data in 1986 showed a 64% increased risk for those with a history of periodontal disease.
High levels of carcinogenic compounds found in the mouth -Compounds called nitrosamines react to the digestive chemicals in the gut in a way that creates an environment favourable to the development of pancreatic cancer.
Not to mention that at every appointment we are screening for Oral Cancers.
OSTEOPOROSIS/EATING DISORDERS/RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS & AN IMMUNE SYSTEM DISORDER THAT CAUSES DRY MOUTH (SJORGREN’S SYNDROME) ALSO LINK TO ORAL HEALTH.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Tell us about the medications you take and about changes in your overall health especially if you have recently been ill or have a chronic condition such as diabetes.
Brush your teeth at least once a day with an oral b 3d action electric toothbrush.
Use a fluoride toothpaste.
Clean in between your teeth with floss/flosspicks/interdental brushes.
Spit don’t rinse (or use a mouthwash containing fluoride).
Eat a healthy diet and limit food with added sugars.
Everything in moderation – it is not so much ‘what’ you are eating but ‘how often’ you are eating - allow the mouth time to recover from acid attacks caused when eating foods – you can shorten the acid attack by chewing sugar free gum after eating or by drinking water.
Do not brush immediately after eating you should always wait at least 20-30 minutes as your teeth have not yet remineralised from the acid attack and you will cause damage!
Replace your toothbrush/toothbrush head every 3 months on average (oral b heads have an indicator strip).
Book in for an Ohh! Flow every 3 months – this keeps you in the cycle of prevention if anything is starting to go wrong, we can prevent it – any longer and we are back to playing catch up and cure, prevention is cheap neglect is expensive!
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