San Antonio dentist, Dentist in San Antonio, TX

Dentistry and Your Health

Scientific Research has discovered some significant links between your Oral Health and your General Health. People with Periodontal Disease (pockets and bleeding) have increased risk for Heart Disease, Lung Disease (Pneumonia and COPD), Diabetic complications as well as pre-term pregnancies and low birth-weight babies. Research is ongoing at Dental Schools and Medical Schools throughout the country in all of these fields.

"Salivary Diagnosis" for Heart Disease and Breast Cancer is a reality at research centers at the University of Texas at Austin and the U.T. Dental Branch/M.D. Anderson Cancer Center using "Lab-on-a-Chip" biosensors.

Dr. Charles Streckfus, professor of diagnostic sciences at the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston, hopes they will become a part of every dental office so that patients can benefit from a fast, non invasive means of screening for life threatening diseases during routine dental appointments.

Periodontal Disease has certain characteristics that are now known to affect general Health.

1. Specific Bacteria lead to "breakdown" of periodontal or gum tissue (pocketing and bleeding). These bacteria are being isolated and identified. Of the 13 major bacteria in Lung Disease (Pneumonia and COPD), 9 have been isolated in "periodontal pockets" in exactly the same "disease causing form". Current theory is that these bacteria "find their way from infected periodontal pockets into the mouth and then into the lungs". They infect lung tissues if our resistence is down or we have an "inflammatory condition" like common allergies.

2. These same bacteria also release "bacterial toxins" which "break down our body's natural defenses" against them. This is how they survive. The bacteria and toxins then crossover into the blood stream and circulate freely throughout our body, until our immune system disposes of them. Removal of bacteria and bacterial toxins from within periodontal pockets promotes good dental health and strenghtens our immune system by eliminating the bacteria and toxins before they ever have a chance to affect general health. If you are Diabetic, protecting your immune system in this way may be very important to your overall health.

3. The chronic inflammatory process associated with Periodontal Disease and the lining of periodontal pockets also seems to affect many parts of our body including our tendency toward Heart Disease. The lining found in coronary arteries may react to chronic inflammation in such a way that "coronary artery plaque" builds up more easily in vessel walls and closes artery spaces. This leads to Heart Disease. The common link is a "biomarker" known as C-reactive protein or CRP. Reducing the amount of circulating CRP may reduce or slow the rate of coronary plaque build-up and lower the risk for Heart Disease.

Research

1.Research at the University of Texas, by the McDevitt group (John McDEvitt), has revealed very important information regarding Periodontal Disease and specific links to C-reactive proteins (CRP) and Heart Disease. I encourage you to visit their website at www.tastechip.com for detailed, specific information about an incredible new means of testing for the risk for Heart Disease using your own saliva and a handheld computer known as the "lab-on-a-chip" biosensor. Their research indicates a definite link between Periodontal Disease and Heart Disease through CRP, which is found to be elevated in both conditions.

2. Dr. Charles Streckfus, who I am happy to say I met, and spent a day with listening to his ground breaking research about "early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer through salivary detection". He is a professor of diagnostic sciences at the U.T. Dental Branch in Houston and conducts joint research through the M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Center in Houston. Dr. Streckfus has found that "breast cancer produces a change in the normal type and amount of proteins... from salivary glands... Saliva is a non-invasive, quicker way for detection." Utilizing the same "lab-on-a-chip" technology, he says that their research shows a "99% confidence level" for early detection of breast cancer.

Dr. Streckfus said that his vision for the future is for all dentists to have a "lab-on-a-chip" biosensor in their office. During routine hygiene (cleaning) appointments, salivary samples could be collected and screened for a number of "life threatening" and common medical conditions. He said that not only are Heart Disease and Breast Cancer undergoing research, but dental and medical schools throughout the country are beginning to conduct research on all types of cancer and other conditions which also have "unique salivary protein profiles". With his own brand of humor he said, "Won't it be great when we can just ask a patient to 'spit in a bottle' and within a couple of minutes screen them for a variety of conditions with 99% accuracy."

For more information please visit:

http://publicaffairs.uth.tmc.edu/media/newsreleases/nr2008/bc-saliva.htm

I am very excited about the changes to come in the field of Dental Care and more excited still about what these changes will mean for you, my patients.