Dental Experts Link Oral Health to Prostate Disease
By tracing inflammation throughout the body, professor Nabil Bissada and his team uncover an unexpected connection

Researchers have found another incentive to keep men flossing and brushing regularly—a potential link between oral health and prostate disease.

A team of researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and University Hospitals Case Medical Center compared two biomarkers in patients with mild to severe prostate inflammation: the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) used to measure inflammation levels in prostate disease, and the clinical attachment level (CAL) of the gums and teeth, which can indicate periodontitis.

The team found that those with the most severe prostate problems—including those with malignancies—also showed signs of gum disease.

According to Nabil Bissada, DDS, chair of the department of periodontics at the dental school, this finding accounts for cases where high PSA levels can't be explained by what's happening in the prostate itself.

With numerous studies connecting gum disease to other health issues, Bissada and his team pegged it as a likely culprit in prostate disease as well.

"This finding further supports the understanding that oral health and whole-body health are deeply connected," Bissada says. "Most gum problems—not just full-blown periodontal disease—can indicate the presence of other inflammatory issues all over the body. This just goes to show, once again, that good oral hygiene is important for your overall health."

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