U of M Study Suggests Poor Oral Health May Worsen IBD

Michigan Medicine (6/16, Malcom) states that a new study from the University of Michigan Medical and Dental Schools suggests that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) “may be the latest condition made worse by poor oral health.” The mouse study “shows two pathways by which oral bacteria appear to worsen gut inflammation.” In the first pathway, periodontitis “leads to an imbalance in the normal healthy microbiome found in the mouth, with an increase of bacteria that cause inflammation. These disease-causing bacteria then travel to the gut.” In the second pathway, “periodontitis activates the immune system’s T cells in the mouth,” and “these mouth T cells travel to the gut where they, too, exacerbate inflammation.” The findings were published in Cell. 

 New Atlas (6/17, Haridy) reports that “the study is cautious to add there is no evidence either of these two pathways of action occur in healthy individuals.” Instead, “there needs to be pre-existing gut microbiome dysregulation for this kind of IBD exacerbation to occur.” 

Additional information on oral-systemic health can be found on an ADA Science & Research Institute-developed Oral Health Topics page. The ADA Catalog also offers brochures with more information. If you’re struggling with IBS or your own oral health, please click here to schedule an appointment with one of our friendly dentists at any of our clinics in or around Minneapolis, MN.