Periodontal disease does not start in the mouth! But it can spread from the mouth to everywhere else in the body.
It is true that irritations in the mouth from poor dental work, misalignment of teeth, broken teeth, chemicals in dental fillings, and various forms of trauma can cause inflammation and eventually infection in the mouth.
But most of the time, periodontal disease begins with unhealthy changes in the gut. Clearly, food starts its pathway into the body through the mouth. But if these foods are inflammatory, they can damage the gut and disturb the garden of bacteria.
The Dentist
The dentist has the perfect platform to identify periodontal disease. He or she sees their patients once or twice a year for checkup appointments. If there are signs and symptoms of gum disease, the dentist can begin educating the patient and treating the infection. Treatment also should include definitive recommendations for gut health and nutritional counseling.Unfortunately, most dentists don’t follow all these steps.
Of course, dentists treat the acute infections. In addition, they have their hygienist clean under the gums while reinforcing better flossing and brushing techniques. The dental team repairs the damage caused by periodontal disease. But treating the gut and providing personalized nutritional counseling are often neglected.
Here is a question for dental professionals: “How often does the same patient return for future checkup appointments with continued bleeding gums and progressing periodontal problems?” Repeated oral hygiene instruction—visit after visit—may not provide the anticipated results. Repeated antibiotic treatment may not resolve the disease permanently but will cause collateral damage.
I suggest an in-depth evaluation of the patient’s eating habits. A patient could record what she or he eats in a 3-day food journal. This document could be repeated annually and become a permanent part of the patient’s dental record. A patient’s food journal will become a history of how and what he or she eats.
I also suggest a thorough program to repair and restore the health of the gut.
Active Periodontal Treatment
Active infection must be addressed ASAP. Again, the dentist is the perfect professional to start oral treatment. Dentists are trained extremely well to treat damage in the mouth. No other health care professional is equipped to do what a well-trained dentist can do.Sometimes, a therapeutic mouthwash or antibiotic for a few days is required at first to bring the acute infection under control. Sometimes extractions, fillings, or repair of broken teeth must be started immediately. Possibly, all that might be necessary is good oral hygiene and maybe a deep cleaning around the teeth to take care of early inflammation and infection. In more advanced cases, surgical procedures as well as cutting-edge laser treatment to repair and regenerate bone destruction might be required.
But the underlying biological causes need to be discussed and corrected. Only treating the mouth without treating the gut and improving the diet is akin to only prescribing pain medicine for a headache with serious underlying causes.
Diet and Gut
Three specific human studies[1],[2],[3] show that improving the diet will return the oral microbiome to a healthy state, reduce bleeding of gums, and prevent periodontal disease from getting started. These benefits occurred within 30 days without the participants performing regular oral hygiene! The nutrients in the diet and the avoidance of harmful irritants in processed foods improved the gut, the immune system, and the health of the mouth with no other treatment required.Other studies have shown that repairing the gut will reduce chronic systemic inflammation.[4],[5],[6] The gut epithelial barrier is the most reparative tissue in the body. Within 5–7 days, the entire gut lining is renewed and will stay that way unless it is repeatedly irritated over and over again.
Summing Up
For the most part, periodontal disease starts in the gut. However, treatment (especially if the infection is acute) must start in the mouth as soon as it is diagnosed.But a comprehensive treatment plan needs to involve the mouth and the gut. Treating an unhealthy gut and advocating a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory diet will help prevent chronic systemic inflammation emanating from the gut. In the dental world, that means a healthier mouth free of periodontal disease. It also means improved overall wellness.