The Interconnection between Periodontal Disease and COPD

 

If there is any truth in the latest scientific breakthroughs, gum disease is believed to have a strong connect with our breathing or respiratory problems. In fact, several experts are of the opinion that gum problems can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and can play a big role in the contraction of emphysema, pneumonia and bronchitis.

There was a study conducted on two hundred patients from various age groups. While 50% of the participants were affected by a respiratory system disease like acute bronchitis, COPD or pneumonia, the other fifty percent were healthy subjects without any sign of respiratory disease. All the patients went through a thorough dental examination of their gums. The study discovered that the participants with respiratory system disease had serious gum problems as compared to the controlled group, showing some sort of link between respiratory disease and periodontal disease Brampton.

How can gum problems lead to respiratory diseases?

Normally, if you observe, gum problems start with an infection. The bad bacteria in tooth plaque starts to germinate within the gingival tissues, causing a reaction where the body begins to break gum tissues and jaw bone. Inhalation of this harmful bacteria from the upper throat into the lower respiratory tract causes respiratory diseases. The most common respiratory illnesses caused due to gum problems are bronchitis, COPD and pneumonia. These infections initiate because of the inhalation of small droplets of microorganisms from the mouth into the lungs. Another culprit is the periodontal disease-causing infection that inflames the lining of the airway, restricting the amount of air that can go to and from the lungs.

Treatment:

When a patient is diagnosed with periodontal and respiratory disease, dental experts and doctors have to work together to get rid of the problem. There are many surgical and non-surgical methods available to treat the infection. Two of the most common methods used by professionals include scaling and root planning. Scaling techniques clean and detoxify the pockets of plaque while root planning helps to clean the roots of the teeth. Once cleaning has been performed thoroughly, antibiotic fibers are placed into the pockets between the teeth and gums to prevent infection. These fibers are removed about one week after the procedure.

When you are planning for a medical or dental treatment, you must always get the experts on board. To find the right periodontist or dentist, make sure you seek advice from your family and friends. You can also call up the local dental society. Such associations can help you by giving you names of clinics handling periodontal disease Brampton. Apart from this, the internet has numerous options you can research on.