Integrative Oral Medicine & Whole Body Wellness

I bet you don’t think of your MOUTH as a source of systemic disease. According to  Dr. Doug Thompson who presented on Integrative Oral Medicine at AIC 2023, a surprising number – 47%, almost half! – of adults 30 and older have some degree of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is infection and inflammation of the gums and bones surrounding the teeth.

You might be surprised to see the wide variety of health disorders associated with periodontal disease.  Periodontal disease has been correlated with a surprising variety of things you don’t want.

For instance: 

• Erectile dysfunction

• Alzheimer’s

• Gastrointestinal disease

• Prostatitis

• Renal disease

• Colorectal and other kinds of cancer

• Respiratory infections

• Osteoporosis

• Rheumatoid Arthritis 

• Cardiovascular disease

• Cerebrovascular disease

• Diabetes

• Preterm birth

• Low birth weight

• Preeclampsia

Bacteria, viruses, and fungi live in the mouth.  These organisms can produce inflammation around the gums that can be chronic and/or episodic, and can be affected by our environment, like what we eat and drink.  The gums, like the lining of the intestines, area a mucous membrane and are affected similarly.  

Inflammation in the gums creates pockets around the teeth which leads to a loss of connective tissue and bone. This causes gum recession and tooth instability.  As the pockets around the teeth get deeper, the environment supports the growth of different bacteria.  Ultimately, there is increased surface area vulnerable to infection.  Additionally, the prevalence of biofilms makes it particularly challenging to treat some of the bacteria and viruses in the mouth, particularly herpesvirus.  

I’ll never forget taking care of a woman, I’ll call her Jane.  Jane had a multitude of health issues including diarrhea, joint pain, headaches, and fatigue.  She did all the things – she healed her gut, balanced her hormones, and addressed the stress in her life.  It wasn’t until she went to her dentist, had a routine set of x-rays, identified a severe tooth infection, and treated the infection, that she finally got better.  Astonishingly, she did not have actual tooth pain.  After a round of antibiotics, all her systemic symptoms resolved. Her story reminds me to consider the mouth when I’m working on identifying the root cause of someone’s health issues.    

A healthy mouth is essential to having a healthy body.  If you can, seek out a progressive dentist who understands whole body-based mouth care – it is the first part of your all-important digestive system!