Bridge Smiles Dental Group P.A.

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Cirrhosis and Gum Disease

Dentistry isn’t just a way of maintaining your teeth; it’s a key component of overall health. We at Bridge Smiles Dental hope our patients understand that there are a lot of things going on in their body that can affect their oral health, including diabetes. But now scientists have found evidence that better gum health can improve symptoms of a surprising disease: cirrhosis


Inflammation throughout the body can result from cirrhosis. The disease develops when the liver becomes scarred and is unable to filter toxic chemicals from the blood. Build up of toxins and inflammation in the brain can cause cognitive fog. People with gum disease have high rates of cirrhosis. Scientists thought that could be because both diseases can result from smoking and alcohol use, but new evidence has emerged that gum disease is also unusually common in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Researchers soon became interested in whether one affects the other.


In a study recently conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University, people with cirrhosis and gum disease were divided into groups that received periodontal therapy at different times. The study found that after being treated, people were significantly likelier to experience a reduction in cirrhosis symptoms, including cognitive fog, and that they had higher counts of a gut microbe that combats inflammation. There’s still a lot about the link between oral bacteria and cirrhosis that we don’t understand, but we hope our patients will appreciate the importance of dental care and how much of a difference it can make to someone’s quality of life.


Drs. Meghadri and Grewal run Bridge Smiles Dental Group at 820 US Hwy 202 North Neshanic Station, NJ, and 15 North Bridge St. Somerville, NJ. To schedule an appointment, visit Bridge Smiles Dental.


 

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