Gum disease and tooth problems, according to University of Birmingham researchers, can raise a person's risk of depression and anxiety over the next few years.
A history of gum disease might dramatically increase a person's risk of acquiring autoimmune diseases, heart disease, and even metabolic disorders like diabetes, study authors say.
In recent years, a number of epidemiological studies have discovered links between periodontal disease and other ailments. Hypertension has been connected to poor oral health in particular, but studies have also revealed connections between gum disease and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
Researchers examined the health records of almost 64,000 patients with a history of periodontal disease for this study, which was published in the journal BMJ Open. This group was compared to 250,000 demographically matched patient health data with no periodontal disease history.
Each individual had an average of three and a half years of follow-up health data evaluated. The purpose was to determine the prevalence of disease in groups with pre-existing gum disease. This, of course, does not prove causation, but it does show that the poor oral health being studied in this study predates the advent of other diseases.
The data showed that patients with periodontal disease were 33% more likely to have an inflammatory disease and 18% more likely to get cardiovascular disease over the course of the study. The study's most surprising conclusion was that gum disease was connected with a 37% greater risk of mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Because this is an observational study, the researchers can only guess on any possible causative mechanisms linking gum disease to systemic health issues. The bidirectional relationship between periodontitis and type 2 diabetes is one example of a well-established link between dental health and disease. Others, such as the link between mental health and gum disease, are still a mystery.
The researchers state unequivocally that the link between mental health and periodontitis is likely behavioral as well as immunological. This implies that while it's possible that poor oral health can exacerbate social anxiety, there's also evidence that oral infections can exacerbate inflammatory responses in the brain, leading to different changes in immune system activity.
Overall, irrespective of "what comes first" concerns, the researchers believe these data confirm the necessity of maintaining good dental health. According to Krish Nirantharakumar, co-senior author on the study, ideally, this involves regular dentist visits and increased communication between dentists and GPs, anchored by a knowledge that oral health is inextricably linked to wider health issues.
