Maintaining
Healthy Teeth and Gums is a Wise Investment
[Submitted by Dr. Andreas Siebold on 21
September, 2009]
Reducing
stress can positively affect your oral health, and potentially your
bottom line
CHICAGO
- Faced with plummeting investments and an unsteady job market, many
Americans are feeling the effects of the recent economic crisis. In
fact, a recent study by the American Psychological Association found
that over 80 percent of Americans rank money and the economy as
significant causes of stress. And while chronic stress can lead to a
host of health problems, including a weakened immune system and
increased blood pressure, it can also take its toll on periodontal
health. If left untreated, periodontal disease may result in even more
serious, and potentially expensive, overall health complications.
According
to David Cochran, DDS, PhD, President of the American Academy of
Periodontology and Chair of the Department of Periodontics at the
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, stress can
make an individual more susceptible to harmful habits that negatively
impact oral health. “Stress may lead an individual to abuse tobacco
or alcohol, and to possibly even neglect his or her oral hygiene.
These lifestyle choices are known risk factors for the development of
periodontal disease, which has been connected to several other chronic
diseases, including heart disease and diabetes.”
A
study published in the February Journal of Periodontology (JOP)
confirmed that stress may interfere with oral hygiene. In the study,
56 percent of participants self-reported that stress led them to
neglect regular brushing and flossing. In addition, the hormone
cortisol may also play a role in the connection between stress and gum
disease. Chronic stress is associated with higher and more prolonged
levels of cortisol; previous research has found that increased amounts
of cortisol in the bloodstream can lead to a more destructive form of
periodontal disease.
“During
periods of high stress such as what we are currently experiencing in
this economic climate, individuals should seek healthy sources of
relief such as regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, and getting
adequate sleep,” says Dr. Cochran. “Doing so can help maintain a
healthy mouth, and potentially help ward off other negative health
concerns.”
Preserve
your gum line, improve your bottom line
Reducing
stress in an effort to avoid gum disease may not only help sustain
overall health, but it might also help your pocketbook as well. A
study published in the December 2007 Journal of Periodontology
(JOP) found that preventing periodontal disease may be one way to
help lower your total health care expenses. In the study, patients
with severe periodontal disease had 21 percent higher health care
costs as compared to those with no periodontal disease. Severe
periodontal disease (periodontitis) involves bone loss and diminished
tissue attachment around the teeth. And since past research has shown
that periodontal disease may lead to other serious health conditions,
striving to maintain oral health may help diminish the need to incur
additional health care expenses, and ultimately help reduce overall
health care spending.
“In
these stressful times I encourage my patients to pay even more
attention to their teeth and gums,” says Dr. Cochran. “And in
turn, since preventing gum disease may help reduce overall health care
expenses, maintaining a healthy mouth may actually be a stress
reliever in itself.”
Periodontists,
the dentists specially trained in the prevention, diagnosis and
treatment of gum disease, recommend regular brushing and flossing and
routine dental visits in order to maintain comprehensive oral health.
If gum disease develops, consulting a periodontist is an effective way
to determine the most appropriate course of treatment.
To
learn more about gum disease, locate a periodontist, or to find out if
you are at risk for periodontal disease, visit perio.org or call (800)
FLOSS-EM (800/356-7736).
About
the American Academy of Periodontology
The
American Academy of Periodontology is an 8,000-member association of
dental professionals specializing in the prevention, diagnosis and
treatment of diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of
the teeth and in the placement and maintenance of dental implants.
Periodontics is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the
American Dental Association.
American
Academy of Periodontology
EDITOR’S
NOTE: Copies of the JOP articles referenced in this release (“Stress,
Depression, Cortisol, and Periodontal Disease” and “The
effect of periodontal disease on medical and dental costs in a
middle-aged Japanese population: A longitudinal worksite study”)
are available to the media by contacting the AAP Public Relations
Office at 312/573-3242. The public and/or non-AAP members can view a
study abstract online, and the full-text of the study may be accessed
online for $20.00 at http://www.joponline.org/.
