INFLAMMATION AND YOUR HEALTH*
Inflammation is the body’s response to any challenge. That challenge may be mechanical, bacterial, or viral. The classic symptoms of inflammation are swelling, heat, and pain. The object of inflammation is to limit the challenge to the body.
Longevity in humans is dependent on a reduction of inflammation. Today there are 50.000 people in the worked that are over 100 years old. By the end of 2010, of those people that are over 65 years old, 3 million will live to be 100 years old or older. Chronic disease of aging correlates to the inflammation process.
A long term study of Kaiser Permanente patients looked at people that had heart attacks and those that did not. Analysis of this data indicated that there were two curves of disease susceptibility, one for those that had heart attacks and those that did not. Those that had heart attacks demonstrated a much higher incidence of overall medical problems than those that had no heart attacks. Further, in looking at blood levels of C reactive protien (CRP, a marker for inflammation) it was found that those that had heart atacks had high leves of CRP and those that no heart attacks showed low levels of CRP. Inflammation is an essential element for heart attacks.
The periodontal disease process is the most common inflammation process of man. It is ethimated that 80% of humans have periodontal disease. The inflammation present in periodontal disease makes those people with it susceptable to other diseases, i.e. diabetes, stroke, heart disease, arthritis.
For the first time in a 2009 the American Journal of Cardiology has made recommendations concerning periodontal disease and heart disease. Their recommendations are as follows:
1. Patients with periodontal disease should be informed of increasing risk of cardiovascuoar disease (CVD).
2. Patients with periodontal disease shoud have regular physical exams.
3. Patients with periodontal disease have increased inflammation associated with increasing congestive heart disease and myocardial infarctions.
4. Patients with periodontal disease should investigate risk facors for cardiovascular disease and take the Rynold’s Risk Factor Test or the Cholesterol Education Program of the Risk Collation.
5. Stop smoking.
6. Cooperate with your physicians in managing CVD (strokes and MI’s).
7. Periodontal evaluation should be focused on the reduction of constant bacterial accumulation and a reduction of inflammation.
There are multiple elements in managing chronic inflammation:
1. Ethnicity- the incidence of inflammation is as follows: African Americans > Hispanics > Caucasians > Chinese > Japanese.
2. Gender- premenopausal females > males.
3. Smoking increases chronic inflammation.
4. Body fat around the waist increases the presence of inflammation.
5. Decreasing Body Mass Index is a sign of reduced inflammation.
6. Increasing CRP is a sign of increasing inflammation.
7. Exercise- regular exercise reduces inflammation.
8. Nutrients regulate the expression of genes that influnce the level of inflammation.
Several elements of nutrition help reduce inflammation. Omega 3 fatty acids effect the expfressin of genes in activation of receptos that start the inflammation process. Flavanoids (green tea), red wine, and soy reduce inflammation. Antioxidants alter signals that modulate inflammation. Vitamin D helps regulate inflammation and the immune system. Carbohydrates influence the inflammation mechanism.
Can we cure periodontal disease? Local acute inflammation resolves when challenges end. Daily removal of deposits from the sulcus around the teeth help eliminate the formation of deposits on the tooth surfaces that begin the mechanical element of the periodontal process. Also, a low daily dose of asprin (81 mg), a daily d0se of vitamin D, a daily dose of 3 omega fish oil, calorie restriction, and elements in red wine help combat the inflammation element of periodontal disease.
* Infomation taken from a lecture by Dr. Ken Kornman, a dentist, a periodontist, and a researcher for a drug company.