Connections Between Periodontal & Chronic Conditions
Research is now showing that there is connection between periodontal disease and other chronic inflammatory conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Osteoporosis, and pregnancy complications (pre-term birth and low birth weight infants).
The Canadian Dental Association acknowledges that signs and symptoms of diseases and chronic conditions may appear in the mouth long before they show up in other parts of the body, suggesting there is a strong connection between oral and systemic health.
Dentists and specialists, such as periodontists, are constantly looking for signs and symptoms of these diseases, which can be detected during regular oral health and physical examinations.
A periodontal evaluation can detect periodontal diseases, and will determine a course of treatment and/or management. Therefore, this can help to manage other chronic inflammatory conditions.
If you have a family member with periodontal disease or have heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease or osteoporosis, or are thinking of becoming pregnant, it is wise to consider undertaking a periodontal evaluation.