Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: acecharly on 28/06/2012 16:25:21

Title: Can tooth decay make you feel generally unwell?
Post by: acecharly on 28/06/2012 16:25:21

Any thoughts

Cheers Ace

Title: Re: Can tooth decay make you feel generally unwell?
Post by: RD on 28/06/2012 19:13:18

bacteria which cause tooth decay are thought to be able to cause heart and joint disease ... 

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/latest-questions/question/1970/

http://www.ada.org/2157.aspx


However if there is a connection, more likely the cause of the general malaise is also causing the tooth decay,
 e.g. poor diet, (including frequent sugary drinks), or drug-use / systemic-disease which is causing xerostomia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xerostomia) which in turn accelerates tooth decay.

Title: Re: Can tooth decay make you feel generally unwell?
Post by: cheryl j on 29/06/2012 01:37:25

Probably depends on how bad it is, but yes, tooth decay will shed bacteria into the blood stream that might cause the release of inflammatory chemicals, giving you that same  icky feeling you get just before coming down with a cold or flu.

Title: Re: Can tooth decay make you feel generally unwell?
Post by: acecharly on 30/06/2012 22:36:20

thanks guys great answers :)