12/03/2024

The Surprising Relationship between Oral Health and IBD

Understand the link

Lenette Sparacino has had dental issues for as long as she can remember. "I've probably had at least 30 cavities over my lifetime, if not more," she said. "I remember as a child getting seven cavities filled at one time." She also remembers being plagued by mouth ulcers and gum inflammation. Years later, she started experiencing digestive symptoms, and was ultimately diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2014.

Her official diagnosis inspired her to learn more about her condition from online resources. "I started understanding that Crohn’s could affect your dental health," she said. That's when it all clicked: Years of untreated inflammation had been at the root of both her digestive problems and her dental problems.

It may not be immediately obvious, but your mouth is a key part of your gastrointestinal tract. "Crohn's disease in particular involves any part of the GI tract, anywhere from the oral cavity down to the colon and the anus," said Dr. Shirley Cohen-Mekelburg, a spokesperson for the American Gastroenterological Association and assistant professor and gastroenterologist focusing on IBD at Michigan Medicine.

Please select this link to read the complete article from TIME.