Dentalnews (en)

I part one you read all about how defensines affect our overall health, but the connection is even more complex!

Our cells use various substances to communicate with each other – the general term being “cytokines“. These cytokines activate signal paths in the cells.

–

You can look at it this way: Cell A (an immune cell) tells Cell B (a cell in the mucous membrane of the mouth) – “produce more mucus, since there are bacteria around”. But Cell A does not really speak to Cell B, but pours out signal molecules  – called cytokines.

–

Like a key and lock system, these cytokines activate signal paths in Cell B which lead to an increased production of mucus. Think of these signal paths as a factory, in which the boss gives an instruction to the foreman, who then proceeds to shout it into a microphone. The employees hurry up and change into their uniforms, etc. … this is exactly what takes place in the cell – a cascade of signals. When the cascade is over, the organelles in the cell produce more mucus!

–

Researchers have discovered that in cases of periodontitis, bacteria in the gum pockets activate the same signal paths as are activated in oral cancer,so there is very likely to be a connection between these illnesses.

–

Source: 2009_ Parodontitis Mundkrebs und Allgemeingesundheit (periodontitis, oral cancer and overall health)

Are periodontitis, oral cancer and overall health in any way related?

They are!
–

Our immune system continuously produces substances (loaded proteins, called defensines) which target bacteria, fungi and viruses. Immune cells inject these defensines into bodily fluids, and this “Defensine Cocktail” protects us from attack by bacteria, fungi and/or viruses.
–

In evolutionary terms, defensines appeared about the same time as the insects, so they represent a very old component of our immune system, and can be found throughout the animal kingdom. For example, the immune cells make sure a high concentration of these proteins gets into the fluid around the eyes, the saliva, lungs, vaginal fluid etc. Wherever our bodies are faced with invasion, these proteins go!
–

But defensine production only runs smoothly in a healthy „household“. This means the well-balanced functioning of our organs, e.g. non-microbial digestion takes place in the small intestine, while microbial digestion takes place in the large intestine. This makes the large intestine an organ of fermentation, and if the small and large intestines don’t „coordinate“ their functions, this can have harmful results on defensine production. The lower the level of defensines, the less protection against micro-organisms.

–

What causes an imbalance? Well, a carbohydrate allergy can lead to excessive fermentation in the large intestine. This means an excess of gas, which causes the intestine to blow up like a balloon, to the point where the passage between the large and small intestines no longer closes properly, which enables bacteria to move between the intestines. This results in an inflammation of the small intestine, and along with the reduced production of defensine, years later this can lead to bowel cancer.
–

But the connection is even more complex than this – in Part II you will find out just how!

–

Source: 2009_ Parodontitis Mundkrebs und Allgemeingesundheit (periodontitis, oral cancer and overall health)

Receding gums can have many causes, but cleaning alone won’t help!

Some things that may cause your gums to recede are

* untreated periodontitis
* faulty tooth positioning
* anomalies in dental enamel (protrusions, bubbles)
* generally any kind of illness such as HIV, diabetes, or nicotine dependency
–

During the second trimester of pregnancy, hormonal changes also make a woman more susceptible to illnesses of the gums.  But proper therapy can help to prevent receding gums during pregnancy!

–

Depending on the cause, receding gums can be treated using the appropriate therapy. Watch the videos on these topics – simply follow the links below:

Periodontitis

Periodontosis

Recessions

Recession treatment

Why do so many dentists still refer to periodontitis as periodontosis?

In medical terms, the ending –itis refers to an inflammation, while -osis stands for a degenerative dysfunction caused by problems inwith metabolism.

–

Arthrosis, for example, refers to a degeneration in a joint due to excess strain on that joint. Arthritis, on the other hand, means an inflammation of a joint, a bacterial infection after an accident.

–

The terms periodontosis, periodontopathy and periodontitis come from the word “periodont“. This refers to the bone and tissue complex which holds the teeth, i.e. the anchoring system which attaches the tooth to the bone (perio = around, dont = tooth). This periodontal apparatus consists of the gums, bone, periodontal membrane and root element.
–

For a long time it was impossible to isolate bacteria in the gum pockets of patients with periodontitis, since it was common practice to use oxygen in germ cultures. But these bacteria were able to survive in gum pockets because of the absence of oxygen there. It was assumed, wrongly, that if there were no bacteria present, then this was a case of –osis! However, 25 years ago methods used in molecular biology finally made it possible to prove the existence of bacterial DNA, later on special incubators were used to grow these bacteria – in the absence of oxygen. And bacteria means -itis.

–
This is not just word-play, but crucial to finding the right kind of treatment. An inflammation requires a different kind of therapy than does a degenerative dysfunction, so you have to make the right diagnosis in the first place! But although scientific proof was found 25 years ago, doctors  are still in the habit of using the term periodontosis.
–

Periodontitis therapy requires two things, first that the doctor actually knows the illness at hand and second, the causes. Failing any of these two things prevents successful treatment. But gathering enough information takes time.

–
More on the topic of periodontitis and the right kind of treatment here!

–

Our immune system has millions of micro-organisms and viruses to fight every day!

Usually it wins, if not then it doesn’t take long to find out – we get sick. Our bodily orifices are a gateway to pathogens. This is why the largest openings  (mouth, rectum, genitals, ears, nose) are equipped with special „defense stations“ used by our immune systems, e.g. the ones in the mouth, the tonsils.
–

But let’s talk about the smaller „orifices“ for a moment, such as the nails or teeth. Teeth are usually „joined“ to the gums; there is normally no hiding place for bacteria in a healthy periodont. However, this changes in cases of inflammation of the gums.
–

The inflammation destroys the tooth-gum complex, moreover blood vessels „swell“, and all this makes it easier for the bacteria in our mouths to get into our blood vessels. Doctors call this „transient bacteraemia“, which can be fatal to patients with a heart condition. This is because:
Normally bacteria are destroyed by the immune system, unless the bacteria manage to escape detection by the immune cells in time. Bacteria especially like doing this in „thrombotic vegetation“. This is a kind of „blood crust“  in the blood vessels.

Mainly consisting of blood corpuscles, this structure usually forms in places where the flow of blood is somehow obstructed. These „disturbances“ either occur naturally, as in the case of congenital heart defects, or they can be acquired, e.g. when a patient has artificial heart valves, or artificial vessels.
–

If bacteria manage to get into our vessels, they can “hide out” in these blood crusts and are safe from our immune cells. When immune cells float by they don’t really„pay attention“ to blood crusts, as they are a part of the body. The immune system only attacks foreign elements. But inside the blood crusts, the germs can multiply until there are so many of them that they start to disperse. The immune system is no longer capable of fighting off the invaders by itself – and depending on where the germs are, organs in that part of the body can become infected.
–

Regular dental cleaning perfomed by a professional makes your teeth and gums more resilient, reduces the harmful germ flora in your mouth, and can even protect your heart, as stated in the title!

More on the topic of dental cleaning here!

–