The connection between oral health and thyroid disorders
Water flossing might take a bit of extra work, but these days, you can even get portable options that don’t have to be plugged in, like this Waterpik. The authors would like to acknowledge the efforts taken by Dr. Shyam for statistical analysis of the data and the help rendered by staff of the Department of Oral Diagnosis, Medicine & Radiology, Vokkaligara Sangha Dental College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Serum TSH was measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay technique according to the manufacturer’s instructions (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim). The lowest detection limit for this assay was 0.005 μIU/mL, and the functional sensitivity was 0.014 μIU/mL.
Radiological examination through an orthopantomogram (OPG) revealed mild horizontal bone loss around the mandibular first molars and impaction with the mandibular third molars (Figure 2). Intraoral periapical (IOPA) radiographs of maxillary(Figure 3) and mandibular anterior teeth revealed root proximity. This more destructive phase of periodontal disease can jeopardize your gum health and even your jawbone structure. When the accumulation of bacteria along the base of your gum line occurs, your immune system responds by tackling the build-up, slowly but surely eating away any gum tissue or bone in its pathway. If you have thyroid issues and your gums bleed easily, you may not be thrilled about flossing. The good news is you don’t have to rely on old-fashioned string floss, which might be painful or off-putting.
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If installing your own filter isn’t an option, water delivery services will deliver fluoride-free water to your home or office. It should be noted that boiling water concentrates the fluoride instead of getting rid of it, while freezing water does not affect the concentration of fluoride. Bottled water isn’t a safe go-to either, since some contain fluoride (see Fluoridealert.org for more information). You can only remove fluoride from water by distilling it, using reverse osmosis filtration systems, or using activated alumina defluoridation filters. Additionally, research shows that fluoride toxicity increases with each generation.
Thyroid Disease: Link Between Hashimoto’s and Gum Disease
Dr. Bonner’s approach is to treat the parasite – and he discovered that, when he does this, people feel better. When it comes to the thyroid, he notes that thyroid antibodies are reduced, Hashimoto’s symptoms are reduced, inflammation decreases, and often, medication use decreases as well. However, it is important to note that all of these conventional approaches are aimed at suppressing symptoms. You might have success for a while and then need greater and greater interventions, including surgery. The same is true for Hashimoto’s — the conventional model of treatment can lead to more and more medication and even surgery, but ultimately doesn’t address the underlying cause. Slightly raised PT and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) prompted us to get her thorough hematological investigations done to rule out any underlying coagulopathy or other hematological disorders.
According to functional medicine, the gut is at the center of autoimmune disease — and a growing body of scientific research backs this up. This study complies with the Reporting of a Disproportionality analysis for drUg Safety signal detection using spontaneously reported adverse events in Pharmacovigilance (READUS-PV) guidelines 19. Likewise, it makes sense that when inflammation is reduced in the mouth, the rest of the body, including the thyroid, responds as well. Food truly is medicine, and making dietary changes can benefit oral health, just as it benefits the thyroid and overall health.
- In addition, some of the included studies did not have a control group (reference) and generally have poor methodological quality, which can lead to biased results.
- Future research should explore the mechanisms of drug-induced gingival disorders and develop interdisciplinary management strategies to enhance oral health in patients on long-term medications.
- For more information on Dr. Bonner’s protocol and additional dental guidance, I recommend his book To Kiss or Not To Kiss.
- He has reported that immune cells and inflammation can disappear (and no longer be visible under a microscope) once the parasites are gone, leaving only normal flora in the mouth.
- By implementing these preventive measures and maintaining good oral hygiene practices, individuals on thyroid medication can effectively manage gum disease, alleviate dry mouth symptoms, and protect their teeth from decay.
Although it should be corroborated with studies of higher methodological quality in which all the analytical aspects in relation to thyroid alterations were evaluated. While these medications are essential for managing thyroid health, they can have potential side effects that impact oral health. The present case report highlights the diagnostic implications and challenges faced in systemic conditions like hypothyroidism and adenoid hypertrophy simultaneously occurring in periodontal disease patients.
When we have an infection in the mouth, even a minor one, or something else that disrupts the oral microbiome (the community of microorganisms found naturally in the mouth), this has the potential to trigger autoimmune disease. Signal detection results for gingival atrophy and gingival discoloration are presented in Table2. Both frequentist and Bayesian measures indicated significant associations for several drugs. Regarding the pathogenesis of BMS, it is multifactorial, including neuropathic mechanisms at different levels of neuraxis that help explain the pathophysiology of BMS. Recent studies have shown that various peripheral neuropathic mechanisms contribute to the pathophysiology of primary BMS (2). In a study by Lauria et al (11) it was observed that patients with BMS presented a lower density of nerve fibers in the lateral border of the tongue than in patients without BMS, in addition to morphological changes are indicative of neuronal degeneration.
What You Can Do at Home: Recommended Self-Care Steps for Better Dental Health
Please review chapter 11 of my Hashimoto’s Protocol book for a more detailed overview of the Root Cause Basic Dental Protocol. Dental cavities are related to the pH of our mouth (which allows for specific bacterial species to proliferate if kept acidic), as well as the nutrition we take in. Cutting back on sweets, soda, tea, and coffee, and following any of my Root Cause-approved diets, can help reduce the level of acidity in the mouth.
- Those with hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid are more susceptible to dental problems like cavities, osteoporosis in the jaws, rapid tooth growth in children, and others.
- Although periodontitis is an inflammatory disease that develops in response to the biofilm in the subgingival area, it is modified by a number of risk factors.
- However, when it comes to optimizing your thyroid health, you also need to make sure you take care of your oral health.
- 14 Some people with Hashimoto’s have greater sensitivities and reactivity to metals than others.
These inflammatory processes, along with host immune response, provide the basis for the possible associations between periodontitis and the aforementioned noncommunicable diseases27,35. Moreover, studies have observed that inflammatory reactions in periodontitis are related to increased local and systemic oxidative stress and impaired antioxidant capacity, thereby affecting systemic health23. Indeed, it is globally recognized that dental care and oral health are key factors for maintaining health and protecting against various systemic diseases36. These circumstances highlight the need to evaluate disorders that affect periodontal health. However, the association between thyroid function and periodontitis has not been adequately established, and the present study is yet the largest study examining this association using a nationally representative dataset. Recent studies synthroid cymbalta have suggested that periodontitis may be a risk factor for these wide range of systemic diseases8–12,15,16,19.
If you’re seeing blood when brushing or flossing your teeth, it could be the first sign of gum disease, so it’s important to stay on top of your oral health routine and to see your dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings. Thyroid disorders encompass a range of conditions that affect the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones, leading to a slowdown in various bodily functions.
