So Americans' lousy teeth are killing our unborn babies too.

[Bonobo]

Where are the supposed "right to lifers" on this one?
I guess this explains our third-world like infant mortality rates.

HEALTHY MOUTH, HEALTHY PREGNANCY?

http://news.discovery.com/human/healthy-mouth-healthy-pregnancy.html

Scientists say they've identified a culprit behind stillbirths and miscarriages in seemingly healthy pregnant women. It turns out that oral bacteria -- even the kinds that exist normally -- can travel through an open wound in the mouth into the bloodstream, settle in the placenta and potentially end a pregnancy.

When bacteria migrate from their normal environment (where they usually don't cause harm) to a new one, problems can arise. The placenta doesn't have an immune system, and it can become inflamed when the oral bacteria set up shop. This can lead to premature births as well as deaths, researchers say.

Yiping Han of the Case Western Reserve School of Dental Medicine led the study. She said they expected the bad bacteria, like the kind that causes gingivitis, to be responsible for aborted or premature pregnancies.

his research comes on the heels of earlier studies linking gum health to heart disease. Han said more research needs to be done to find out exactly which kinds of bacteria are colonizing the placenta so more effective treatments and therapies can be designed for pregnant women.

The more oral bacteria, the higher the risk of heart attack, UB study shows

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/04/01/the.more.oral.bacteria.higher.risk.heart.attack.ub.study.shows

Several studies have suggested there is a connection between organisms that cause gum disease, known scientifically as periodontal disease, and the development of heart disease, but few studies have tested this theory. A study conducted at the University at Buffalo, where the gum disease/heart disease connection was uncovered, now has shown that two oral pathogens in the mouth were associated with an increased risk of having a heart attack, but that the total number of germs, regardless of type, was more important to heart health.
"The message here," said Andriankaja, "is that even though some specific periodontal pathogens have been found to be associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, the total bacterial pathogenic burden is more important than the type of bacteria.

"In other words, the total number of 'bugs' is more important than one single organism," she said.

The study involved 386 men and women between the ages of 35 and 69 who had suffered a heart attack and 840 people free of heart trouble who served as controls. Samples of dental plaque, where germs adhere, were collected from 12 sites in the gums of all participants.

[OnlinePoker]

1. This is why you're not supposed to give blood less than 3 days after dental work

Instead of the gift of life, you could end up killing the person who gets your blood.

[Oregone]

2. "has shown that two oral pathogens in the mouth were associated with an increased risk of having..."

You mean people who cannot afford decent dental care often clog their arteries at McDonalds?

Thank you Captain Obvious

[Bonobo]

3. Nope, you completely misunderstood the meaning of that.

Sorry.

Signed,

Captain Obvious.

[Oregone]

4. Did I?

Or did they completely misunderstand that correlation does not equal causation?

[Bonobo]

7. What do the oral pathogens and the AMOUNT of them have to do with MacDonalds?

Those oral pathogens are common to ALL people, I assume.
The AMOUNT of them (and the continued flourishing of them) have to do with a lack of basic dental care.

So I do not understand your point.

[HughMoran]

13. But they're tasty

:D

He might be acting silly.

[Oregone]

17. Im not sure what Im acting like

Ill check tomorrow when in a better state of mind.

[Oregone]

14. What does poverty have to do with access to dental care/maintenance and the ability to eat healthily...

[G_j]

18. did you forget the sarcasm thingy?

[Bonobo]

19. Absolutely right, no linkage there either.

[HughMoran]

5. No wonder my chest pains went away after having my infected molar pulled

I hated that tooth. Root canal, crown, then it got infected anyway. One expensive tooth.

[Oregone]

6. The nitrous oxide probably just chilled you the hell out and unwound your panties

[HughMoran]

10. lol - people tell me NOx is fun

I've never had it :(

[Bonobo]

12. I think you need to read up a bit more on this subject if you don't believe the link. Here:

Gum Disease Links to Heart Disease and Stroke
http://www.perio.org/consumer/mbc.heart.htm

Frequently Asked Questions About Periodontal (Gum) Disease and General Health
http://www.perio.org/consumer/faq_periodisease.htm

The Gum Disease - Heart Disease Project
http://www.perioheart.com/

[Oregone]

16. I get the whole "link" thing

Im not sure that you do

[Bonobo]

20. Then explain it to me as if I am a 5 year old.

Then we can both be sure :)

[Oregone]

21. Well...here we go...

When big beautiful brown leaves fall from trees, juicy orange pumpkins pop outta the vines.

If the leaves decided not to fall...the pumpkins would still be juicy.

If the pumpkins went on a diet or colored themselves green...leaves would still fall off trees.

When things happen together, they don't always cause eachother

[Bonobo]

22. Oh, I understand THAT. I LIKE the scientific process, pal.

But I do not understand the point you are trying to make about mistaken causation in this PARTICULAR case.

Do you care to enlighten me or do you just want to sharpen up your wit?

[Oregone]

24. Enlighten you? Should I try and still talk to a 5 year old?

Please clarify

[HughMoran]

25. Oooh! Oooh! Talk to me like I'm a 4.5 year old!

:evilgrin:

[Oregone]

26. Go to bed already! Or no play group tomorrow.

[HughMoran]

27. WAAAAAHHH!!

:cry:

[HughMoran]

23. juicy orange pumpkins!!!

:beer:

[WCGreen]

9. I have to get one pulled so that it doesn't carry an infection before

I can even qualify for a lung transplant.

[HughMoran]

11. Wow

Good luck!

[Hannah Bell]

8. healthy mouth, healthy heart as well.

[chill_wind]

15. Wow. I've heard about the associations in the second article

and knew that a lot of patients with cardiac concerns have been put on preventative antibiotics for various dental procedures in the past, for a long time now-- but I wonder how currently widespread the information in the first one is? Seems like really important findings.

K & R.

[Maru Kitteh]

28. My mom had 3 miscarriages - desperate to get pregnant she had all her lower teeth pulled

and then she had me.

[Bonobo]

29. Is that really true?

And if so, did she know there was a connection or something? Wow.

[Maru Kitteh]

31. Her lower set of teeth were badly diseased (she grew up in an orphanage)

She had my sister when she was fairly young but after that she had a very hard time getting pregnant and had three miscarriages *that she knew of,* meaning it is quite likely she had many more than that and wasn't aware. Her dental situation deteriorated as time went by and her physician who had counseled her before to get them taken care of finally advised her that her teeth were "poisoning her system" and she would not carry a pregnancy until they were gone.

He was right - and that was in the 60's.

[Yuugal]

30. K&R