The Treatment of Oral Conditions as an Integral Part of the Body

 

Dentistry is as much a sub-specialty of medicine as any other area in the field of medicine. The oral environment has as many if not more observable diagnostic signs or symptoms of systemic health or illness as anywhere else in the body. Oral conditions directly affect the rest of the body and the systemic bodies health directly affects the oral health.  The linkages and cross influences as well as the ability to diagnosis systemic conditions from the airway and dental structures is significant.            

 

First function of the mouth and airway is breathing.

Food, water, communication and other interaction are all secondary after breathing and maintaining that airway.

Airway disruption in sleep significantly increases stress and inflammation. 

Stress and inflammation cause pain, weight gain, diabetes, arthritis, cardio and cerebral vascular disease and many other degenerative or disease conditions. 

Brain function and blood glucose levels are what give rise to poor diet.

This starts in infancy. 

This brain function-blood glucose connection is what gives rise to decay.  

Poor diet affects the health of the gut lining and the gut flora.

Antibiotic use affects gut flora.

Gut health and bacterial flora in the gut directly affect oral soft tissue health.

The health of the gut can be improved.

The bacterial flora in the gut can be improved.

The internal surface area of the gut is 100 greater than our external surface area. 

The gut surface area represents a surface as large as the area of a tennis court. 

70% of our immune system is directly adjacent to that gut lining.

Much of that gut lining is one or two cells thick.

Allergies in the gut and gut leakage affect the allergic reactions to organisms on the teeth. 

 

Periodontal disease is an allergic reaction.

Periodontal soft tissue health affects systemic health.

Periodontal disease represents a leaky gasket around the teeth.

That gasket or soft tissue seal is barrier that is supposed to protect us systemically from the organisms on the teeth.

This dental source leakage is a threat to all implanted devices; knees, hips, shoulders, pace makers, heart valves and even breast implants.

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease.

Inflammation is one of the main causes of aging.

Inflammation affects almost all tissues, systems and diseases. 

Contamination inside of teeth, in the dentin is just as much an entry point and insult to the body as soft tissue periodontal inflammation. 

Most restorative dentistry has leakage and bacterial contamination underneath the filling and crowns.