Inflammation has been linked to diseases from Alzheimer’s to cancer, and the list just keeps swelling
Inflammation isn’t pretty. And it often hurts. But the tell-tale swelling and ache, the redness and heat are signs that our bodies are fighting back against microbial invaders that might otherwise harm or kill us. Inflammation is our first line of defense and sometimes, it now seems, our worst enemy. CRISTINA MARTINEZ / Union-Tribune In […]
Germ warfare in dental chair
A developing health science aims to prevent disease by focusing on mouth bacteria. By Dorsey Griffith – Bee Medical Writer Sacramento Bee Published 12:00 am PDT Saturday, June 2, 2007 You might be surprised to learn that the microscopic bugs around your teeth that cause gum disease may also contribute to tongue cancer, medical researchers […]
Doctors give lip service to dangers of gum disease
Gustavo Rodriguez had expected numerous physical exams and blood tests before checking into the hospital last July for a long-awaited kidney transplant. But he was bewildered when told to see a dentist. “My gums were really bad, but I didn’t know that mattered,” says Rodriguez, 26, of Long Beach, Calif. “They said I had to […]
How to keep those gums in the pink
Copley News Service The best way to prevent serious periodontal disease is to get serious about your oral hygiene. And the sooner you start, the better. Gum disease can begin in the adolescent or teenage years, when “they rarely floss for weeks, months, sometimes years at a time,” says Dr. Gary Sigafoos, a San Diego […]
Growing evidence shows that gum disease can be serious … even fatal
OPEN WIDE Once again, Mom was right. For years she hounded you to brush and floss regularly to help keep your teeth and gums healthy. Little did she or anyone else know then that following her oral hygiene advice may also protect you from serious illness and disease. There’s growing evidence that gum or periodontal […]