Many people dislike having their teeth cleaned because they believe that it pushes bacteria further into your body. Dr. John Tortora and Dr. Theresa Dantonio offer this page of information to dispel this and other myths about bacteremia and preventive care. For more information and to schedule your consultation with our dentist in Brick, New Jersey, please contact our office at 732-295-1616.
Bacteremia is the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream. In reference to the oral cavity it is the bacterial Biofilm (plaque) that is under the gums that contributes to this bacteremia. This is caused by: eating, brushing and grinding our teeth. In a research study of bacteremia, the subjects were actually told to eat an apple to induce the Bacteremia they were studying.
There are both harmless and disease-causing (pathogenic) bacteria. These pathogenic bacteria and the by-products of the inflamed gum tissue, are spread to many parts of our body. This is what we mean when we talk about the oral-systemic connection, also known as the mouth-body link. Harmful bacteria and inflamed tissue originating in the mouth can then set up inflammation and infection in other places. The impact of systemic inflammation can be found in heart disease or heart attacks, stroke, collagen breakdown, diabetes, and many more conditions as the evidence continues to mount.
A dental evaluation and professional cleaning under the gum is an effective and reliable way to detect diseased areas, manually remove harmful bacteria and disinfect the effected tooth areas. There are three points that are important to note:
- The bacteria that are released into the body by tooth cleaning is a momentary, transient exposure. And as such does not contribute to our systemic bacterial load. After professional hygienic care, the risk of this exposure over time has been drastically reduced.
- It is the continual innumerable daily assaults of the untreated disease-producing bacteria caused by eating, brushing etc. that causes the health risks from Bacteremia.
- Extra steps can be taken by having the patient rinse and swish a naturally derived anti-bacterial before cleaning. This will significantly reduce any potential bacteremia from treatment. With professional oral home care instruction and the compliance that follows, the systemic risks can be controlled on a daily basis.
To make your next appointment with our caring dentist, please call our practice today.
