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Obesity Linked to Gum Disease

Research is showing that adults who are obese are at a higher risk for gum disease than people who weigh a few extra pounds. Students from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Puerto Rico analyzed data collected from more than 35,000 men. These subjects had been followed for up to 16 years. In the beginning, the men were free of any periodontal disease.

But for those who developed problems later, statistics were drawn to those men who had gained significant amounts of weight.

The study showed that obesity is associated with a 29 percent increased risk of gum disease over the course of time. Men who are merely overweight only face a slight increase in risk.

David Cochran, president of the American Academy of Periodontology, said that inflammation of the gums can often be linked to inflammation in other parts of the body – a common problem among the obese.

It’s also been long confirmed that dietary choices that lead to becoming obese, such as eating foods loaded with sugar, can lead to gum disease.

The findings from this new study were recently presented to the International Association for Dental Research.