WE CAME across an interesting article from the Wall Street Journal.
Its message is to the point: “Skipping those regular dental visits during the pandemic may lead to far more trouble than a toothache.”
It observes, for example, that gum disease may cause life-threatening health issues such as heart attacks and strokes.
“The risk of getting COVID at the dentist is negligible, but the risk of putting off going to the dentist is very high,” it quotes Dr. Anita Aminoshariae, a Professor of Endodontics at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
Dr. Aminoshariae specializes on diagnosing tooth pain and performing root canals.
The article cites a study published in February in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology linking gum disease to severe COVID-19 complications.
Of the 568 COVID patients covered by the study, those with periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease, were at significantly higher risk of complications including death, admission to an intensive-care unit and need for a ventilator, writes the Journal’s Laura Landro.
Gum disease may start with gingivitis, a mild form of the disease characterized by redness and swelling of the gums. Periodontitis is the more serious version: inflammation that causes the gums to pull away from the tooth and form pockets that are prone to infection.
The infection in turn may form an abscess. That’s the time when bacteria can travel to other parts of the body such as the lungs and the heart valves.
Then there is the issue of plaque formation on the surface of the teeth. Plaque can harden into tartar that may spread below the gum line. Bacteria then cause infection in the tissue, bones and gums, loosening the teeth and which can lead to extraction.
If the condition worsens, it gets tricky. To prevent infection, dentists may need to use mechanical instruments such as scalers and power instruments to get rid of the tartar. Flap surgery may even be required to lift back the gums, remove tartar; the gums are then sewn back in place.
“More middle-aged people are growing older with more teeth, and that means that teeth have longer exposure to decay and periodontal disease,” Dr. Robert Holt of the Florida Institute for Periodontics and Dental Implants tells the Journal.
“If your gums are bleeding, you have more bad breath, your teeth are loose or moving, there is pain and swelling in your mouth, or changes in coloration of your gums and teeth,” says Dr. Sasha Ross, a gum specialist at Cleveland Clinic. “These are all reasons to get back to the dentist.”
Prevention is the best strategy, writes Ms. Landro, a former Wall Street Journal assistant managing editor and author of the book, “Survivor: Taking Control of Your Fight Against Cancer”.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the former Associate Dean of the UE College of Dentistry, former Dean of the College of Dentistry, National University, past president and honorary fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy, and honorary fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists. Honorary Life Member of Thai Association of Dental Implantology. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515./PN
