Most likely, your dentist cleans your teeth regularly and checks your gum pocket depth. The health of your gum pockets may prove to be a valuable predictor of microbiome health, disease risk, and even mortality.
Here are some questions to ask about your gingival microbiome:
- How many gum pockets do you have that are greater than a depth of 3 mm?
- What is the microbial makeup of your gingival pockets — Are there high concentrations of pathogenic bacteria that put you at risk for other diseases?
- If you could tip the balance of your gingival microbiome towards good bacteria by systematically controlling pocket depth, could it have favorable effects in other parts of your body?
- Could it help balance your gut microbiome favorably?
- Could it reduce risk of developing other diseases?
- Could it help reduce the age-related drain on hematopoietic stem cells that must constantly replenish your immune system?
- Could your gingival microbiome be a rate-of-aging gauge for your immune system — Is increased gum pocket depth over time a sign that your immune system needs replenishing?
- Could your dental health be an indicator of osteoporosis risk/health?
- When one has scaling and rootplaning done to remove the dental plaque, its products, and calculus – all of which cause inflammation, thus helping to establish periodontal health: Does the healing process reflect what is happening with bone formation/resorption?
Leave a Reply