Obesity is a growing concern in America with more children struggling with weight than ever before. Parents and practitioners alike aim high to reduce obesity and employ healthy eating and exercise habits to improve overall body health. After seeing a study published by the University of Buffalo it’s clear that overall body weight isn’t the only factor Americans need to consider. Researchers found that obesity is a significant predictor of periodontal disease, a disease that requires care from your Long Island Periodontist.

The study was conducted using 12,367 participants aged 20 to 90 years of age with 53 percent being men, 47 percent women and 43 percent of all participants were overweight. A detailed analysis of the national sample suggests that insulin resistance mediates the relationship between obesity and periodontal disease. While obesity by itself is a difficult challenge to conquer adding periodontal disease on the top can prove to be very challenging for patients to understand and improve upon.

Robert Genco, vice provost at the University of Buffalo had this to say, “People who have a higher body mass index produce cytokines (hormone-like proteins), that lead to systemic inflammation and insulin resistance. We propose that chronic stimulation and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines associated with periodontal infection also occurs, contributing to insulin resistance, which may further predispose to diabetes mellitus.”

Recognizing that periodontal disease is a severe inflammatory response to bacteria it makes more since that systemic inflammation caused by obesity can increase the risk of periodontal disease. To best protect yourself pay close attention to your weight and insulin resistance. Talk with your doctor and dental practitioner to learn as much as you can about the prevention of gum disease.

If you’ve been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes or insulin resistance and have excess weight it’s crucial that you monitor your mouth for early signs of gum disease which may include; frequently bleeding gums, red, swollen and painful gums, persistent bad breath, loose or missing teeth and a change in the way your teeth fit in your mouth.

To help stay on top of your oral health maintain daily oral hygiene of brushing and flossing. Visit your dentist every six months for a detailed cleaning and evaluation of your teeth and gums. At each visit have your dentist observe your brushing and flossing technique and offer suggestions for improvement.

If you notice signs of gum disease and are looking for a Long Island Periodontist should contact Dr. Scharf at (631) 661-6633 or visit him on the web at http://drscharf.com . He can treat gum disease with a laser rather than a scalpel.

Tags: bleeding gums long island, Long Island peridontist, long island periodontist, periodontist disease Long Island, periodontist in Long Island

This entry was posted on Monday, June 21st, 2010 at 1:57 pm and is filed under Blog, Long Island Periodontist. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.