gum disease

Could you be killed by gum disease?

You know how hard diabetes is on your kidneys. It’s like taking a sledgehammer to the organs, pounding them from the inside.

Diabetes is the single most common cause of kidney failure.

But you don’t have to be a diabetic to face those risks. Even if you’re at a normal weight… your blood sugar is perfect… and your diet is terrific… you could be pounding your own kidneys from the inside.

Because the latest research finds that a common condition – one you might even have right now – is just as bad for your kidneys as diabetes.

It’s gum disease!

I know that might sound random… even impossible. Dental propaganda!

But the new study finds that if you’re fighting off kidney disease, gum disease could do enough damage inside the organ to actually kill you.

That’s right – those bleeding gums could become a life-or-death situation.

If you have kidney disease, your 10-year risk of dying of the disease is 32 percent, according to the study. But if you have gum disease along with kidney disease, that risk jumps by a third, increasing to 41 percent.

That’s almost identical to the 43 percent risk of death facing diabetics with kidney disease.

The reason is quite simple: Your gums are the doorway into your body, and if they’re bleeding, you’re leaving yourself wide open for germs and other toxins to get inside.

Your kidneys, of course, filter that blood. They try to, anyway. If they’re performing poorly, they can’t do the job right – and toxins from gum disease and other germs in your mouth could cause them to practically choke.

Don’t rest too easy if you don’t think you have kidney disease or gum disease. You could have either one – or both – right now, without even realizing it.

Most of the estimated 26 million Americans with kidney disease don’t know they have it – and another 1 in 3 of us are at risk for the condition, which is one of the country’s Top 10 causes of death.

Gum disease is even more common. Half of all adults, including 70 percent of seniors, have some form of it.

Like kidney disease, most don’t know it…even though the signs can be much more visible.

On its own, of course, gum disease isn’t nearly as deadly as kidney disease. But when it’s part of a combo meal with other health conditions, it can be a contributing factor to death from other causes. It can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, and it may even contribute to breast cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and more.

So work on getting and keeping your gums in shape. You already know what you need to do: Brush after meals, and floss daily.

If you notice any blood – because ANY bleeding is not normal – it’s time to get a routine cleaning, or a “deep cleaning” from a dentist or periodontist.

A clean mouth with healthy gums means more than just fewer cavities and fresher breath.

Good oral hygiene is essential to your overall health because the same bacteria responsible for tooth decay and gum disease can wreak all kinds of havoc inside the body, damaging your arteries, heart, brain and more.

And now, new research finds yet another way these germs could hurt you: They could cause or worsen rheumatoid arthritis.

That's the form of the disease not caused by wear and tear on the joints or even aging. It's an autoimmune disorder, in which your own body wrongly attacks itself, tearing your joints apart in the process.

It's painful, debilitating and tough to treat -- but the new study on mice shows that if you keep your mouth clean and have healthy gums, you might avoid it or at least slow it down.

P. gingivalis, the bacteria responsible for gum disease, appears to produce an enzyme called peptidylarginine deiminanse, or PAD.

PAD then transforms certain proteins in your body into citrulline, which your immune system attacks -- and the process unfolds in a way shockingly similar to rheumatoid. It's so similar that mice with a rodent version of rheumatoid exposed to P. gingivalis suffered an earlier onset, faster progression and a far more severe form of the disease, with collagen and even bone falling apart faster.

The study isn't solid proof of a link between gum disease and arthritis, but I don't think I'm alone when I say you should brush and floss after meals in any case.

After all, who wants "dragon breath," gum disease and tooth decay -- not to mention the heart, brain and artery problems I mentioned earlier?

Just be sure to clean your teeth and get healthy gums the right way, and that means avoiding anything with fluoride in it. Fluoride is a powerful toxic metal that can wreck the brain and damage bone even in very small amounts.

And despite the hype, it's not even all that good for teeth.

Use all-natural fluoride-free toothpastes and dental rinses instead.