At first glance, the tiny microbes that live in your mouth may not seem like much of a concern. After all, they naturally reside in your mouth, and as long as you brush and floss your teeth, they should remain controlled. Even the most diligent oral hygiene routine, however, is subject to human error, and one minimal mistake can allow harmful oral bacteria the chance to wreak havoc with your dental health. To exacerbate matters, a growing body of scientific research suggests that the same mechanisms responsible for jeopardizing your oral health may also be partly responsible for other chronic systemic illnesses, including various heart diseases. When your soft oral tissues are diseased, bacteria from your mouth can enter your bloodstream and travel throughout your body, potentially harming other tissues with their destructive behaviors. Astoria dentist, Dr. Jeffrey Leibowitz, examines two oral bacteria suspected in the oral-systemic connection and how they can fool your body into harming itself.
The Manipulative Gum Disease Germ
When the bacteria in your mouth multiply and congregate, they form a sticky biofilm called plaque that adheres to your teeth and gums. Among these microbes is Porphyromonas gingivalis, a key contributor to the development of gum disease. The germ manipulates your immune system to survive, interfering with its inflammatory response to invading microbes. Inflamed and often bleeding gums are a telltale sign of gingivitis, the beginning stage of gum disease. Studies involving the role of inflammation in other chronic diseases suggest that the presence of P. gingivalis can also be a contributing factor of inflammatory atherosclerosis, a disease that affects your arteries and the blood flow to your heart.
The Incognito Intruder
P. gingivalis is not the only microbe that is fond of pranking your body’s natural processes. As another building block of dental plaque, Streptococcus gordonii may also take advantage of gum disease or other compromised oral tissues to enter your body. Once there, the bacterium can mimic the human protein, fibrinogen, an important blood clotting factor. S. gordonii produces a molecule on its surface that activates platelets to clump together, surrounding and protecting the germ from your immune system. The clots can clog your blood vessels and lead to endocarditis, an inflammatory disease that affects the inner layer of the heart and usually involves a mass of platelets in the heart valves.
Keep Your Smile Clean and Your Heart Healthy in Astoria
To learn more about the importance of maintaining a clean and healthy smile, or to schedule a dental consultation, contact your Astoria dentist by calling (718) 728-8320. We proudly serve patients from Astoria, Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the surrounding communities.
