Dr Michelle Dickinson: nanotechnologist on the connection between oral health and heart disease - The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Most of us think of oral health as something that affects our teeth and gums. But what if what’s happening inside your mouth is quietly influencing the rest of your body's long-term risk of disease - including diabetes and heart disease? 

A new study published in the Journal of Translational Medicine has just found exactly that. 

The study followed 65 people who were treated for root canal infections, a type of deep tooth infection that lets harmful microbes seep into the bloodstream. 

The researchers tracked 44 different metabolites, small molecules in the blood linked to inflammation and metabolism, both before the root canal treatment and again over the next two years. 

They found that:

• Within three months, signs of systemic inflammation dropped. 
• Two years later, several markers of metabolic health, including blood glucose levels had significantly improved. 

A root canal infection is more than a sore tooth, it’s a chronic bacterial invasion. When bacteria and toxins escape from infected tissue, they can enter the bloodstream and spark inflammation throughout the body. 

Over time, this chronic inflammation is known to interfere with how our body handles glucose - potentially increasing insulin resistance, elevating blood sugar and putting extra strain on the heart and blood vessels.

The results showed that: 

• Over half of the metabolites shifted significantly.
• Some amino acids linked to insulin resistance dropped.
• Cholesterol dipped temporarily after three months.
• At the two-year point, glucose levels were notably lower.
• Pyruvate, a molecule involved in inflammatory pathways, also declined.

The study raises the question around whether dental and physical health records should be connected, so doctors and dentists can work together helping to improve your overall health holistically. 

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