Liver

Our livers are responsible for helping the body ward off infections and filter our blood. According to the American Liver Foundation, it’s one of the few organs that can regenerate or “re-grow” if it’s damaged. The ALF warns that inflammation of the liver is the earliest stage of diseases like fibrosis, cirrhosis, and end-stage liver disease. 

A Sign of Liver Problems

The presence of periodontal disease is extremely high among people with incident liver disease. Consequently, gum infections could even be considered a warning sign or “risk factor” for undiagnosed chronic liver disease, being that periodontitis contributes to inflammation levels throughout the body and strains the overall immune system (creating more work for your liver.)

The Link Between the Two

The enzymes created by periodontal disease are known for affecting the adipose tissue in people with fatty liver disease. In turn, it could potentially contribute to cirrhosis of the liver or even liver cancer. 

What to Ask Your Dentist

Most individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease will have periodontal (gum) pockets deeper than 4mm (at or below 3mm is considered healthy.) As such, it could be an early warning sign of underlying liver infection. 
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Let your dentist know if you’re experiencing any bleeding, tongue swelling, dry mouth, or hemorrhages of your gum tissues. 
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If you are known to have some type of liver disease, inform your dental team. Planned procedures such as extractions may need to be at the discretion of your physician, hematologist, or gastroenterologist.

Hope for Liver Treatment Patients

Addressing oral infections like gingivitis and periodontal disease can potentially help to lower inflammation throughout the body (including endotoxemia) to improve liver treatments in patients.
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In studies surrounding positive impacts of periodontal therapy on patients with medical concerns, most patients see an overall improvement in their health conditions within an average of 3 months.