Bad dental health can lead to pneumonia - Yale
31 Dec Daily Telegraph
Thousands of elderly people are at increased risk of pneumonia this
winter if they fail to brush their teeth regularly, a study suggests.
The Dental Health Foundation has warned that poor oral hygiene could
cause the respiratory infection after research found a link between
bacteria in the mouth and the lung disease. Dr Samit Joshi of Yale
University School of Medicine found changes in bacteria in the mouth
preceded the development of pneumonia.
He concluded that this process ?suggests that changes in oral
bacteria play a role in the risk for developing pneumoniaā€¯. Pneumonia is
thought to affect more than 620,000 people in the UK and claims the
lives of around five per cent of those who contract the disease.
Although further research is required to determine the exact
relationship between oral health and pneumonia, it is not the first time
the two diseases have been linked. Poor oral health has been associated
with respiratory diseases for a number of years, as bacterial chest
infections are thought to be caused by breathing in fine droplets from
the throat and mouth into the lungs.
This can cause infections, such as pneumonia, or could worsen an
existing condition. Studies have even suggested a higher mortality rate
from pneumonia in people with higher numbers of gum problems. The
findings of the study present further evidence that there?s a
significant health risk to the elderly and the young, according to Chief
Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter. Dr
Carter said: ?During the winter months we?re all susceptible to colds,
coughs and chesty viruses due to the drop in temperature.
What people must remember, particularly those highlighted as
vulnerable, is that prevention can be very basic. ?Systemic links
between gum disease and overall health have been well documented, and at
this time of year keeping up good oral health can really help stave off
illness. |