Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Homemade Toothpaste from Invite Health Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Toothpaste is an interesting topic because to be frank everyone has their favorite brand. Which brand do I think is best? The one you will use! If you like strong peppermint that is great. But if …
PRIMARY FOOD, LIFESTYLE AND OUR HEALTH~CAREER by: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Most people do not think about their career and work environment when discussing their personal health and wellness. However, it can be a driving force in managing a healthy lifestyle. I even …
Periodontal Disease and Gingivitis
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Both gingivitis and periodontal disease are conditions in the mouth that involve an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria. But just how are these 2 conditions related? What are the symptoms you may experience? How do you even develop these conditions? And just what can you do to reduce your risk factors and even reduce any symptoms of these oral diseases? Let us get into it, shall we?
While it is normal for our mouth to contain a certain number of bacteria, they are kept in check by the body. Several factors can disrupt this balance. This can lead to gum disease. The beginning stages or mild gum disease is called gingivitis. If this is not treated the inflammation can get progressively worse and then the gum disease will worsen to severe gum disease, or periodontitis. A straightforward way to think of this is that gingivitis is stage 1 and periodontal disease is stage 2. I know what you are thinking. That is great but Dr. Claire but WHAT is gum disease? When you have gum disease there is a film of bacteria that becomes plaque that is coating the teeth. Over time this leads to gum inflammation which then goes on to eventually cause damage to the gums and even lead to tooth loss over time.
How do you know if you may have gingivitis or periodontal disease? Gingivitis will typically have less severe symptoms than periodontal disease. These symptoms include red, swollen gums, gums that bleed when you floss or brush your teeth and sometimes just randomly. Periodontal disease will have symptoms that get worse as the disease progresses. Once again there may be red, swollen, bleeding gums. Additionally, there may be sore, sensitive gums and teeth. There may be bad breath. There may also be pain when you chew. There may also be loose teeth or teeth that change positions. Lastly you may notice that the gums are pulling away from the teeth. (1) How is gum disease diagnosed? Your dentist will check your gums for signs of inflammation and use a probe to measure pockets around the teeth. Just as an aside this may be both painful and bloody. They may also suggest x-rays to check for bone loss. (2)
How do you develop gum disease, or in other words what are the risk factors? Well to start with smoking, chewing tobacco, substance use, some medication and even certain chronic diseases such as diabetes all increase your risk. Additionally, not maintaining oral hygiene for any reason can increase your risk. For example, if you have misaligned teeth, they can be hard to properly clean. If you are not able to go to a dentist for routine dental work due to a lack of accessibility this can also increase the risk of gum disease. In my experience certain mental health disorders, such as depression, can impact proper dental hygiene practices. Genetics can also increase the risk of gum disease. Stress, as well as a lack of important nutrients can increase the risk as well. Lastly hormonal changes such as pregnancy and even puberty can increase risk as well. (1)
Gum disease can have series complications. The bacteria that is associated with gum disease can enter and travel to other parts of the body. Periodontal disease is linked to respiratory disease, RA, coronary artery disease, uncontrolled blood sugar, and both preterm and low birth weight. (3) As I said in my introductory blog periodontal disease can increase the risk of miscarriage or stillbirth. See my introductory blog on dental health for statistics on how gum disease impacts the heart.
What can you do?
Sources:
PRIMARY FOOD, LIFESTYLE AND OUR HEALTH~JOY by: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT “The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: ‘Does this spark joy?’ If it does, keep it. …
PRIMARY FOOD, LIFESTYLE AND OUR HEALTH~HOME COOKING by: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT What if I told you that there is a secret to reducing calories, eating better and even reducing the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes? Well, the secret is simple, …
PRIMARY FOOD, LIFESTYLE AND OUR HEALTH~HEALTH
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
HEALTH seems like a no brainer when discussing wellness and lifestyle. However, what does it really mean? Let’s break this down and I’ll go over what this means to me as it can be rather subjective.
When I think of health, I think of how to maintain my overall general health. This includes such areas as doctor visits and blood work, medications and supplements, and diet choices. While we know these are important, do we know why and are they necessary everyone?
Annual doctor visits for a physical is important to see your improvements, see where more focus needs to be, and to bring up any questions or concerns you may have for your doctor. During the visit you’ll have your physical exam, where the doctor will check such areas like blood pressure, listening to the heart and lungs, checking throat/lymph nodes and checking reflexes. Keep in mind that each doctor and patient has their own way of conducting these exams for the patient’s unique needs. This is also the time when the doctor will decide with lab work needs to be ordered or even make referrals for specialists based off of conversations with the patient, medical history and health concerns or goals.
So what lab work is commonly ordered? This lab work will usually start with a complete blood count or CBC. This is what most of us refer to as ‘routine blood work’. This is a great way for your doctor and other health and wellness professionals to see any improvements, establish areas of concern and monitor health markers. Some of these health markers include, but are not limited to A1C (blood sugar), CRP (inflammation), TSH (thyroid) and creatinine/BUN (kidney function). Often times these are looked at to see if there’s any fluctuation from blood test to blood test, which may help to notice a potential issue early to hopefully avoid future problems. Other test that may be recommended, may be stool test, urine tests or even a hormone panel. They are also used to help guide doctors and health professionals in recommending any necessary medications and/or supplements. Taking both prescribed medications, as well as any supplements, as recommended is incredibly important. They are recommended a certain way to help you to maximize your wellness and to help avoid possible interactions or further health problems. If you feel like something you’re taking isn’t right for you, speak with your doctor or health professional for guidance.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reminds us that a healthy diet is important for our overall general health. This is to help prevent malnutrition and help lower the risk of illness and disease. A healthy diet consists of lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, some dairy, healthy fats like avocado and plenty of water. As always, it’s recommended to avoid or lower the consumption of processed foods, sugar, salt and trans-fats.
Multivitamins are always my go-to as a baseline for a solid supplement regimen. Something like the Core Multi can offer a variety of essential daily vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They help to enhance our diets by not only supplying what we need, but also by giving he body what we may be lacking in our diet. I like to recommend taking a multi with a meal for maximum absorption and benefits. You may even notice and increase of energy from a good multi, which most are happy looking to increase.
Probiotic Hx is something everyone has heard of when it comes to supplements for general health. A good probiotic formula helps to add healthy bacteria to the gut, as well as balance out the flora within the body. Probiotics can also help to support a strong and healthy immune system.
Fish oil is an omega-3 fatty acid that’s made up of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). According to the The Mayo Clinic, studies have shown to be effective in helping those with heart disease. Fish oil has also been beneficial for those with elevated blood pressure and triglyceride levels.
As you can see, partnering with your doctor, and being open and honest about your diet, supplementation, goals and concerns, is a big key in your overall general health. Following your doctors recommendations is also important for health and protecting yourself against illness or disease, whether its medication, tests needed or any procedures that are recommended. Your holistic practitioner can help guide you and recommend complimentary strategies. I always tell people that the best wellness plan is diet, exercise, annual physicals and blood work, along with a combination of natural and traditional health plan.
health.clevelandclinic.org/why-you-need-an-annual-physical-and-what-to-expect
www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/annual-complete-blood-count-an-important-step-in-assessing-health/
www.nebraskamed.com/health/questions-and-answers/primary-care/what-blood-tests-should-i-get-at-my-annual-physical-and
www.aamc.org/news/why-don-t-patients-follow-their-doctors-advice
www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-of-multivitamins
www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-benefits-of-probiotics
www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-fish-oil/art-20364810
