Gum health and weight loss have always had a relevant connection. Studies show that gum or periodontal diseases have an effect on rapidly losing weight as affected individuals lose their appetite and most likely get greater risks of other related diseases such as cardiovascular problems and stroke. However, today’s dental community—including Alliance Family Dental in Fayetteville, NC— has found that there is another critical link between the two.
As suggested by recent studies, losing weight has the potential to help people evade gum diseases. Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine discovered that the human body can better fight gum problems when fat cells that trigger inflammation are eliminated. They have proven that after conducting an experiment on 31 obese individuals who underwent periodontal treatments.
The subjects were grouped in two groups where the first batch underwent gastric bypass surgery and had fat cells removed from their abdomens, while the remaining cluster did not undergo any weight reduction procedure. From there, both groups were given nonsurgical periodontal treatments.
After the two groups of obese subjects had undergone periodontal therapy, both of them exhibited signs of improved gingival conditions. However, those who are in the surgery group showed greater improvements on results for periodontal attachment, probing depths, plaque levels, and bleeding cases. As concluded in the research, this improved response may have rooted from reduced insulin resistance and inflammation that are associated with the weight loss process.
Alliance Family Dental can attest that inflammation plays a significant role in the persistence of this oral malady. Swelling gums can brew greater detrimental effects over time including bone erosion and tooth loss. Tiny breaks or gaps in the gums can also bring about harmful oral bacteria that hold the potential of penetrating the blood stream. Because of that, minor gum problems can lead to more serious concerns such as pre-mature births, fetal death, chronic heart problems, diabetes, and arthritis.
Thankfully, Dr. Barber and Alliance Family Dental in Fayetteville, NC can aid in the treatment and prevention of all gum maladies. With the periodontal therapy, gum infection can be prevented and the underlying tissues and bones can be protected. Although weight loss revealed contributions in the treatment of gingival diseases, it is not the sole cure to these oral problems; hence, the assistance of dental experts should always be sought.