A recent study has found a clear link between obesity and gum disease. While the link between these two areas has been evidenced before, underlying causes have not been previously established. But this new study appears to show that chronic inflammation caused by obesity is the key reason behind eventual gum disease.
Obesity is a common issue, with growing numbers of people considered to be “obese”. Obesity can be defined as a person that has an above-average accumulation of fat. Moreover, they will be overweight.
The problem of obesity has been referred to as an “epidemic”, due to the range of issues that obesity can cause [1]. One such issue is oral health.
Researchers from the University at Buffalo were seeking to improve their understanding of the relationship between obesity and gum disease.
There is some pre-existing research that shows a link between obesity and gum disease [2]. However, the underlying causes behind this haven’t been determined in the past. Therefore, the researchers were hoping to delve deeper into this area.
Gum Disease
Gum disease is a very common condition. For example, statistics show that approximately 90% of the world’s population has some form of gum disease [3].
Gum disease can be prevented. The condition typically involves a person’s gums becoming swollen or infected, which is usually caused by a build-up of plaque. Furthermore, plaque gradually wears down tooth enamel, leading to oral problems.
A common cause of plaque is a high-sugar diet. Moreover, a high-sugar diet is associated with obesity. Therefore, obesity can increase the risk of gum disease.
Bone loss is a very common symptom of gum disease. One such complication of gum disease is tooth loss. Tooth loss can occur when the bone deteriorates to the extent where it is unable to support a tooth. Losing teeth can negatively impact a person’s mental health [4].
The Research
The recent research was carried out by researchers at the University at Buffalo. Subsequently, the research was published in the Journal of Dental Research. [5].
The researchers used two groups of mice for their study. They hoped to see the differences caused by giving the two groups alternate diets.
One group had a low-fat diet which drew 10% of energy from fat. However, the second group of mice had a high-fat diet that drew 45% of energy from fat. Consequently, the groups were fed these diets for 4 months [5].
The researchers were able to conclude from the study that the high-fat diet did have a strong impact on the oral health of the mice [5]. Moreover, chronic inflammation was a key cause of this.
The researchers found that excessive inflammation from obesity causes a rise in the number of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) [5]. MDSCs are a group of immune cells that aim to fight illnesses. However, when this happens, the MDSCs develop into many different cell types, including a cell class named osteoclasts, which breaks down bone tissue [5].
The high-fat diet group experienced more obesity, more inflammation and an increase of MDSCs when compared to the low-fat diet group [5]. Therefore, the high-fat diet group developed more osteoclasts, resulting in increased bone loss and gum disease [5].
What this research means
These findings reaffirm the link between obesity and gum disease. But the conclusions drawn are very useful as they show deeper reasoning behind the findings. For instance, the impact that MDSCs cause.
The research shows that obesity can cause chronic inflammation. The chronic inflammation then leads to an increase in MDSCs. Subsequently, gum disease worsens through increased bone loss.
Keith Kirkwood, a Professor of Oral Biology at the University at Buffalo, commented on the findings [6]. He said that while the relationship between the level of obesity and gum disease is clear, “the mechanisms that underpin the links between those conditions were not completely understood” [6].
The underlying causes behind this connection are now better known. As a result, this evidence confirms the need to eat a healthy diet wherever possible to avoid obesity and the resulting problems. For instance, we should try and eat fruit, vegetables, a balanced diet, and avoid sugary foods and drink wherever possible.
Having a healthy lifestyle alongside a balanced diet is important. This can reduce the chances of obesity. Therefore, our oral health should remain protected.
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We provide our patients with a warm welcome, a comfortable experience and advice whenever needed.
We recommend that our patients attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a regular dental check-up. When problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. We also have some cosmetic treatments too!
Importantly, we recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly. Moreover, eating healthily and trying to avoid sugary foods and drink is helpful.
In addition, all of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.
We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.
References
- [1] Karels, A. J., & Cooper, B. R. (2007). Obesity and Its Role in Oral Health. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 5 (1): p1-5.
- [2] De Castilhos, E. D., Horta, B. L., Gigante, D. P., Demarco, F. F., Peres, K. G., & Peres, M. A. (2012). Association between obesity and periodontal disease in young adults: a population-based birth cohort. Journal of Clinical Periodontology. 39 (8): p717-724.
- [3] Pihlstrom, B. L., Michalowicz, B. S., & Johnson, N. W. (2005). Periodontal diseases. Lancet. 366 (9499), p1809-1820.
- [4] Kaur, P., Singh, S., Mathur, A., Makkar, D. K., Aggarwal, V. P., Batra, M., Sharma, A., & Goyal, N. (2017). Impact of Dental Disorders and its Influence on Self Esteem Levels among Adolescents. Journal of clinical and diagnostic research: 11(4), pZC05–ZC08.
- [5] Kwack, K. H., Zhang, L., Sohn, V., Maglaras, R., Thiyagarajan, R., & Kirkwood, K. L. (2021). Novel Preosteoclast Populations in Obesity-Associated Periodontal Disease. Journal of Dental Research. (Pre-publication). Available: https://doi.org/10.1177/00220345211040729.
- [6] University at Buffalo. (2021). Study: Obesity Raises the Risk of Gum Disease by Inflating Growth of Bone-Destroying Cells. Available: https://www.oralhealthgroup.com/news/study-obesity-raises-the-risk-of-gum-disease-by-inflating-growth-of-bone-destroying-cells-1003963199/. Last accessed: 19th November 2021.
