The Mouth-Lung Connection
Smoking remains the leading cause of serious respiratory d ise
ases, such as lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The recent study did not conclusively prove that gum disease is a
nother direct cause of COPD.
But people in the study who were hospit alized with COPD
and other types of lung disease had significantly higher rates of gingivitis and periodontal disease than the folks in a control group who had healthy lungs.
It’ s not clear what the connection i
s.
But we know that the bacteria from dental plaque, when inhaled into the lungs, not only can cause COPD exacerbations but also might trigger respiratory infections in healthy people.