Medical professionals know there’s a connection between periodontal disease and more systemic chronic health conditions, but that connection has not been fully understood at the cellular level. Now researchers at the University of Toronto think they have identified the process by which inflammation of the gums, if left untreated, can manifest as disease on a wider scale, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer and even COVID-19.

According to findings published in the Journal of Dental Research and reported by UToronto.ca, “the researchers focused on the behaviors of cells primarily activated by gum disease: neutrophils, which are cells of the innate immune system. Through in vivo models, the researchers found that the immune system releases an abundance of these neutrophils to tackle the bacterial infections responsible for periodontitis, more commonly known as gum disease.

“Activated to fight an oral infection, a systemic effect was noted: Once periodontal inflammation was present, an overabundance of neutrophils circulated that are primed for attack. The hyper-vigilant immune system then responds with an excess of force to any secondary infection. . . . That’s when the body becomes susceptible to damage from secondary inflammatory conditions. With the immune system already primed by the neutrophils, a secondary event causes those immune cells to destroy affected tissues and organs.” 

Information sourced by Jonathan Richter, DDS, FAGD, of Cariodontal, 310 E. Shore Rd., Ste. 101, Great Neck, NY. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 516-282-0310 or visit Cariodontal.com. See ad, back cover.