The Importance of Dental Health
Most people don't consider the teeth to be part of the body's bone structure. But, like other bone, your teeth and the jaws that house them contain nerves and blood vessels, and require the proper nutrients for growth and repair. In an acidic and undernourished environment, teeth begin to break down, weaken and become susceptible to infection. Gum infections and periodontal disease can be thought of as localized osteoporosis of the teeth and jaw bone. As the infection continues, the gums begin to recede, resulting in more bone loss in the supporting jaw.
For some unknown reason, very few doctors seem to be aware that osteoporosis in the hip joints and other large bones is routinely preceded by periodontal disease. Osteoporosis and periodontal disease go hand in hand. Similarly, poor dental hygiene and nutrition have to be addressed to successfully prevent or treat heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke. The sooner you make the connection and take appropriate steps to remedy the problem, the sooner you can start to reverse osteoporosis.
There are
ways to treat periodontal infections using tools such as Citricidal (grapefruit seed extract) and hydrogen peroxide, as well as gum massage with special toothpicks, brushes, and the Sonicare electric toothbrush.Another item that helps stop periodontal djsease and could also help reverse osteoporosis is xylitol, a natural sweetener found in many fruits and vegetables. It is currently being made from sugar cane pulp in China, and may soon be produced from corn cobs in the U.S
.Eating foods sweetened with xylitol or just taking the substance has been shown to re-mineralize tooth enamel, prevent inner ear infections, and reduce cavities, dental plaque, and the plaque acids that erode teeth. The nasal wash Xlear, works so well on colds, flu, and throat infections. Regular use can even eliminate asthma problems. Two Finnish animal studies have shown that xylitol can help maintain and even increase bone density.
Exactly how xylitol helps increase bone density isn't fully understood. It appears to increase the intestinal absorption of calcium. It may also make the vitamin D receptors more sensitive and enhance the beneficial effects of vitamin D.
Not taking care of periodontal disease can lead to very serious problems. The poisonous bacteria from dental decay enters directly into the blood stream through the bone structure and gums and is also ingested when swallowing. This constant intake of decay poison will effect the whole body.
Many artery-clogging plaques contain the same bacteria that cause gum disease. What happens is that the gum disease-causing bacteria enter the bloodstream, leading to inflammation on the walls of arteries, which in turn leads to plaque formation, or arteriosclerosis (clogging of the arteries
).Lately, the buzz phrase in cardiac medicine has been C-reactive protein (CRP). At the risk of oversimplifying matters, CRP is a blood "marker" that indicates inflammation is occurring somewhere in the body. And inflammation is known to damage arterial walls and lead to such problems as arteriosclerosis, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Dozens of studies have shown that in many cases CRP can be directly linked to periodontal disease.
A newer class of drugs called statins lowers CRP in the body. Some doctors even feel that the best way to prevent heart disease is to prescribe broad spectrum antibiotics to knock out any infections and their resulting inflammation. Several magazine articles have called this a breakthrough and a sure-fire method to rid society of heart disease. Again, these approaches treat the symptom and not the cause. Unless it is absolutely necessary, why would anyone want to take any drug for a lifetime?
Unfortunately, doctors in this country prescribe many different medications without regard to their cumulative effect on a patient's health.
Even if there were an interest in keeping up with the potential side effects of all the medications, it's practically impossible for even a well-trained and thoughtful doctor to do so.The average patient doesn't stand a chance.