Until recently, the relationship between tooth loss and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been largely overlooked by medical researchers. However, an emerging body of evidence suggests that these two conditions may be closely linked.
Periodontitis has previously been linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. However, this new study is shedding light on the relationship between periodontitis and inflammatory bowel disease.
For the study, about 1,100 patients answered survey questions online. Half of the participants had IBD in the form of Crohn’s disease, and the other half had IBD in the form of ulcerative colitis. About 3,400 people without any form of IBD also participated in the study and were matched for certain criteria to the patients with IBD.
The study not only found that participants with intestinal disease had worse oral health than those without IBD, but it also noted that the oral health of people with Crohn’s disease was more affected, as these patients had lost more teeth than those with ulcerative colitis.
“Both diseases can be described as a strong overreaction of the immune system against a theoretically relatively mild bacterial trigger. You can say that the immune system attacks one’s own body,” researcher Andreas Stavropoulos said.
This study helps to bring forward a discussion about the relationship between gut health and oral health.
