Dr. Mogell Dental Blog

Boca Raton Cosmetic Dentist

Is There a Relationship Between Obesity & Periodontal Disease?

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Relationship between Obesity and Risk of Gum Disease

We have known for quite some time about the relationship of periodontal disease and our general health; now a research study is revealing a relationship between overweight individual and periodontal disease. Actually this is not a new finding. What is enlightening about this study, performed at Forsyth Institute is the identification of the specific bacteria that are associated with increase risk of periodontal disease in the obese individual.

Dr. Anne Haffajee, head of the Department of Periodontology at The Forsyth Institute, found in her study to be published in the Journal of Periodontology online that young females overweight were at a greater risk of periodontal disease. The suggests that changes in periodontal health may be due to metabolic changes associated with obesity might affect the bacterial proliferation patterns in the mouth and compromising host tissue defenses, altering the progression of periodontal disease.

So again we are seeing more evidence of the fact that dental health is not just about your teeth. Your periodontal health can and will affect your general health if it is not taken care of. Please call our office at 561-394-9000 to schedule your next visit with our hygienist to protect your periodontal health.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.