b'Periodontitis, Chlorine Dioxide, and Cardiovascular DiseaseBY DR. MARK SIRCUSP eriodontitisisaofTheunderlyingcauses bacterially inducedperiodontal disease are inflammatorydis- infectiousagentssuchas easethatdestroysviruses,bacteria,spiro-theconnectivetissueandchetes, amoebas, and fun-bonethatsupportthegi.Periodontitisisami-teeth.Itisestimatedthatcroclimate that reflects the roughlyhalfofalladultsmacro climate of the entire intheUnitedStateshavebody.Inperiodontaldis-mildtomoderateformsease,thepathogensform ofthedisease.Astudyasticky,colorlessplaque publishedintheJournalofthatconstantlyformson Periodontology confirms thatourteeth.Astheplaque peoplewithperiodontalgets harder and thicker, it diseaseareatheightenedbecomes dental calculus or risk for heart disease, can- cancer than men with no such his- tartar, a hard calcified lay-cer, and stroke. tory. It is the high levels of carcino- erthatisvirtuallyimpossibleto Menwithperiodontitishadagenic compounds that are presentshiftwithnormalbrushing.You 72%greaterriskofdevelopingin the mouths of people with peri- would have to get the dental hy-coronarydisease.Gingivitiswasodontal disease that increase thegienisttodoit.Gingivitisisthe associatedwitha42%increasedrisk of pancreatic cancer. inflammation of the gums around risk for men. A 1996 study involv- Severalstudieshavefoundathe teeth due in great part to im-ingover1,100individualsfoundstrongrelationshipbetweenthepropercleaningoftheteeth.Al-thattheincidenceofcoronarybacteriumcausinggumdiseasethough systemic factors and gen-heart disease, fatal coronary dis- andatherosclerosis.Thesameeral health can modify the tissue ease, and strokes were all signifi- bacterium that has been culturedreactions to local irritants, the pri-cantlyrelatedtotheirbaselinefrom the crud, or plaque, is seenmary irritant is mercury-contain-periodontal status. in arteries. People with gum dis- ing dental amalgam.Ourstudyprovidesthefirstease(alsoknownasperiodontalLeftuntreated,gingivitiscan strongevidencethatperiodontaldisease)havetwotothreetimesturn into periodontal disease. The disease increases the risk of pan- the risk of having a heart attack,gumsbecomeloosearoundthe creaticcancer,saidDr.Domi- stroke, or other serious cardiovas- tooths root, creating a gum pock-niqueMichaudoftheHarvardcularevent.Periodontaldiseaseet that gradually deepens. Eventu-School of Public Health in Boston,increasesthebodysburdenofally, the infection and inflamma-who led the research. Men with ainflammation,saysperiodontisttion can cause the tooth to loosen history of periodontal disease hadDr.HaticeHasturkoftheHar- and fall out.a 64% increased risk of pancreaticvard-affiliated Forsyth Institute. According to mainstream med-12 H ealtHF reedomN ews /w iNter2024'