Dentalnews (en)

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

They are!
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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.
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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!
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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.

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

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