Long in the Tooth

[Guest guest]

" HSI - Jenny Thompson " <HSIResearch

HSI e-Alert - Long in the Tooth

Wed, 31 Aug 2005 07:00:00 -0400

 

 

 

 

 

HSI e-Alert - Long in the Tooth

 

Health Sciences Institute e-Alert

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August 31, 2005

 

 

Dear Reader,

 

Can healthy habits promote dental health? More specifically, can a

combination of regular exercise, weight control and a healthy diet

prevent periodontitis?

 

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) posed that

question in a recent study and came up with some surprising results.

 

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Risk: Low, lower, lowest

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Periodontitis is a form of periodontal disease in which the gums and

bone that support teeth become infected and inflamed. About three out

of 10 people suffer from periodontitis.

 

Researchers at CWRU collected data on more than 12,000 subjects who

participated in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination

Survey. For each subject, three " health-enhancing " behaviors were

assessed: 1) getting regular exercise; 2) maintaining a normal body

weight; and 3) maintaining a " high quality " diet.

 

When this data was compared to the incidence of periodontitis, the

researchers produced these results:

 

* Periodontitis risk was reduced by 16 percent in subjects who

engaged in at least one of the health-enhancing behaviors

* Risk was reduced by 29 percent in those who engaged in two of

the behaviors

* Risk was reduced by 40 percent in those who engaged in all three

behaviors

 

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Sum of the parts

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When I first looked over this study I noticed something missing. There

was no mention of the obvious fact that an individual who makes the

everyday efforts required to pursue a healthy, balanced diet and

regular exercise is almost certainly inclined to also make a special

effort to maintain dental health with regular visits to the dentist

and daily brushing and flossing. After all, most cases of

periodontitis are attributed to poor oral hygiene (although, for some,

genetics is also believed to play a role).

Nevertheless, some healthy habits do have a direct effect on dental

health.

 

For instance, a 2000 study in the Journal of Periodontology confirmed

earlier studies showing that people who have an inadequate intake of

vitamin C tend to have higher rates of periodontal disease. Vitamin C

is believed to help repair and maintain healthy connective tissue.

 

Vitamin C intake, regular exercise and the maintenance of proper body

weight have all been shown to reduce C-reactive protein (CRP), the

inflammation marker that's been associated with periodontitis. As I've

mentioned in many e-Alerts, CRP is also an aggravating factor in

creating blood clots that commonly lead to stroke, heart attack and

other cardiovascular events.

 

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High quality diet

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The last word today goes to William Campbell Douglass II, M.D., who

offered these dietary guidelines for dental health in his Daily Dose

e-letter:

 

" I have always said, and still maintain, that you can brush your teeth

after every meal, water-pick them, floss them, and go to the dental

hygienist every month and you will still get cavities and gum disease

if your diet is loaded with sugar and other carbohydrates and is

deficient in animal protein and fat. "

 

High glycemic carbohydrates in particular may increase periodontitis

risk. The glycemic index (GI) is a measurement system developed to

help diabetic patients manage their blood glucose levels. In a

nutshell: Low GI foods (such as most fruits and vegetables) prompt a

slow increase in blood sugar levels, while high GI foods (such as

processed baked goods and starchy foods) produce a quick spike in

blood sugar levels. A steady intake of high GI foods promotes a

gradual insensitivity to insulin - the precursor of type 2 diabetes.

And diabetes happens to increase the risk of periodontal diseases.

 

You can estimate the GI rating of various foods by searching a free

database on a web site called glycemicindex.com.

 

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....and another thing

 

Fooling Mother Nature can sometimes make you feel better. But there's

often a price to pay.

 

In the e-Alert " The Other Pause " (4/28/05), I told you about the

growing use of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) to treat

symptoms of andropause (the male counterpart of menopause).

 

As men grow older, their testosterone levels drop a little more than

one percent each year after the age of 40. This change can trigger

moodiness, memory loss, a decline in sex drive, and a lack of energy,

strength and endurance. Taken together, these conditions sometimes

cause men to experience a gradual passivity and disinterest in life.

 

Several years ago the FDA approved TRT for the treatment of low

testosterone production called hypogonadism. Since then, many doctors

have exercised the option of off-label usage to prescribe the therapy

for other andropause symptoms. The upside: Many men who use TRT report

a boost of energy and libido. The downside: some studies have shown

that TRT may raise prostate cancer risk.

 

A new study from the University of California has confirmed that risk.

And although it's a small observational study of only 20 men, it

points up the fact that doctors and their older male patients must be

very cautious with this therapy.

 

As reported in the current issue of the Journal of Urology, seven of

the subjects were diagnosed with prostate cancer within the first year

of treatment, four more were diagnosed the following year, and the

rest were diagnosed over the course of eight years.

 

One of the researchers, Franklin D Gaylis, M.D., told Reuters Health

that men who consider using TRT should receive " careful, informed

consultation regarding the risks and benefits of such a treatment. "

And this is especially true of any man who has a family history of

prostate cancer.

 

To Your Good Health,

 

Jenny Thompson

 

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Sources:

 

" Periodontitis and Three Heath-Enhancing Behaviors: Maintaining Normal

Weight, Engaging in Recommended Level of Exercise, and Consuming a

High-Quality Diet " Journal of Periodontology, Vol. 76, No. 8, August

2005, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

" Case Researchers Find Exercise, Eating Right and Maintaining Weight

Benefit Oral Health " Case Western Reserve University Press Release,

8/22/05, eurekalert.org

" Giving Strokes the Brush " William Campbell Douglass II, M.D., The

Daily Dose, 6/25/02, realhealthnews.com

" Testosterone Treatment Linked with Prostate Cancer " Will Boggs, M.D.,

Reuters Health, 8/12/05, reutershealth.com

 

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