Cirrhosis and Gum Disease

Improving your oral hygiene can improve your life in other areas, as well. At Fresh Meadows Dental Care, we firmly believe that dental health is a crucial component of overall health, and science backs us up. A new study found that improving gum health reduced the harm of cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis is what occurs when the liver is unable to function properly because prolonged inflammation has caused it to scar. As a result, inflammation becomes prevalent throughout the body and the brain is exposed to toxic substances that impede cognitive function. Scientists have long been aware that cirrhosis and gum disease are common in the same people, since both are caused by smoking and alcohol. But people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease also have higher than average rates of gum disease.

Researchers were interested in whether a reduction in one disease would affect the other. The recently published study found that people with cirrhosis who underwent treatment for periodontal disease had improved cognition and produced more of a bacterium that decreases inflammation compared to people who remained untreated. We don’t fully understand yet what the connection is, but we hope more people will understand that a professional tooth cleaning may be just the thing to make them feel better.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Flushing, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit Fresh Meadows Dental and fill out a contact form.