One of the lectures I attended today:
Gerry Cruatola DDS runs a dental practice and teaches at New York University’s College of Dentistry. He presented “TOXICITY AND THE MOUTH-BODY CONNECTION’. Periodontal pathogens are linked with Alzheimer’s, and are found in the plaque that clog coronary and carotid arteries.
85% of adults over 35 have some form of gum disease. The link between gum disease and systemic illness was first made by Weston Price DDS way back in 1901. Our current approaches to dealing with this problem [antimicrobials] are both ineffectual and harmful.
Our oral microbiome is made up of water, proteins, immune complexes, minerals, and anywhere from 6 to 10 billion microorganisms [approximately 700 species.] A healthy oral ecosystem is essential for life – it protects against harmful environmental pathogens and is a component of both our digestion pathways and our immune system regulation. Emerging science has identified this oral ecosystem, the oral microbiome [or oral biofilm]. as an intelligent semi-permeable membrane.
Keeping the oral microbiome in balance [homeostasis] is central for oral health. It is like a beautiful garden, with many species living in harmony, and also like a bee hive with a well formed structure and agreed upon job descriptions. When it becomes unbalanced, bad things happen. The biofilm can be too thin [atrophic – like a desert] or too thick [hypertrophic – like a jungle], and either acid/base or oxidation/reduction reactions can predominate. Then, instead of oral health, we experience tooth sensitivity, decay, gum disease and/or canker sores.
This is only the tip of this iceberg, and the first ten minutes of this lecture! More, soon,
Global Wellness 