Asthma Raising Oral Health Alarms
There’s a new piece of research, spread over 21 papers published between 1979 and 2017, that investigated the relationship between asthma and oral health. The 2017 paper especially confirms that those with asthma were almost one fifth (18.8%) more likely to suffer from periodontitis.
The Oral Health Foundation, a leading independent oral health charity based in UK, knows of the close links between oral health and systemic disease, like heart disease and diabetes. But this new study deals with asthma and it could help millions of asthma sufferers in coping with significant oral and medical problems.
The findings, published in the ‘Journal of Periodontology’, illustrate a close link between the two diseases and suggest that there is huge potential for millions more people to develop gum disease in the UK. gum disease is already one of the biggest non-communicable diseases (NCD) globally.
According to Asthma UK, 5.4 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma, which means asthma affects one in every 11 people and one in five households. The UK has some of the highest rates of asthma across Europe. In Northern Ireland and in Wales, 1 in 10 are undergoing asthma treatment. In England, 4.5 million people (1 in 11) are currently receiving treatment for asthma. This consists of 932,000 children and 3.6 million adults. In Scotland, 1 in 14 are being treated.
The disease prevalence is thought to have plateaued since the late 1990s, although the UK still has some of the highest rates in Europe and on average 3 people a day die from asthma. The most recent data available (2016) 1,410 people died from asthma. The National Health Service spends around 1 billion a year treating and caring for people with the condition.
As far as the link discovered in the aforementioned study between asthma and gum disease, it becomes a real concern now that millions of people are facing increased perils of gingivitis and its more severe form, periodontitis. The Oral Health Foundation is encouraging asthma sufferers to ensure they watch their oral health closely in order reduce their risk of developing gum disease.
Watching Out for the Asthmatic Patient
While the link exists between asthma and gum disease, our team at Lynnwood Song Dental believe that with patient cooperation, the risk involved can considerably decrease. Regular dental follow-ups is highly recommended in order to check the oral health status.
