Poor Dental Care In Elderly Can Lead To Pneumonia

The Dental Health Foundation has issued a warning that thousands of people aged 60+ are at increased risks to suffer from pneumonia in case if they fail to brush and floss their teeth according to the basic requirements of dental care. A group of scientists at Yale University School of Medicine carried out a research and found out that there are very strong connections between poor dental care and the risks of pneumonia, and the elderly are actually in the group of the highest risks. The findings were recently presented at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America in Boston.

As the experts suggest, poor dental care can cause the development of respiratory infections and increase the amounts of bacteria in the mouth which can grow into lung infection and cause such disease as pneumonia, a quite common health condition and one of the most topical public health problems that every year affects about 620 thousand people in the UK. It is also estimated that annually, this disease takes the lives of approximately five per cent of the mentioned number of pneumonia sufferers. Several previous researches have shown that there are connections between serious respiratory problems and poor dental care.

Dr Samit Joshi, one of the leading specialists and the study leaders, underlined that for many decades poor oral health has been associated with increased risks of respiratory infections, and this study was the first to establish direct relationships between oral bacterial invasions and the following development of pneumonia as an example of respiratory diseases.  He explained that poor dental care causes changes in mouth bacteria and “the changes in oral bacteria play a role in the risk for developing pneumonia.” During the study, it turned out that many chest infections can be caused by inhaling mouth bacteria, causing them go into the throat and the lungs.

Dr Nigel Carter, Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, valued the findings of his colleagues from the US very highly. He underlined that it is essential to remember about the importance of a proper dental care in winter time, when the risks of respiratory infections and related health conditions are very high. “Simply brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste, cleaning in between teeth daily with interdental brushes or floss, cutting down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks and visiting the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend will be a great starting point,” he said.

Tags: pneumonia, poor dental health, respratory infections