I recently posted about the effects of gum disease on bodily health.  I
have to make a correction.
 
Estelle wrote:
>If a ferret has a lot of plaque build up and/or infection in the gums
>there is a lot of bacteria present in the mouth.  When he then breathes
>in he is inhaling this bacteria into his lungs.
 
I wrote:
>That's not quite correct.  The bacteria is not inhaled.  When a person or
>a ferret has a periodontal infection (gingivitis or gum disease), the gum
>tissue is inflamed and bleeds quite easily.  This allows the bacteria in
>the mouth to enter the blood stream, where it can stick to heart valves and
>cause bacterial endocarditis (a life-threatening infection of the heart).
 
Although the latter is still true, Estelle is also correct.  After a little
digging, I found that "scientists have found that bacteria that grow in the
oral cavity can be aspirated into the lung to cause respiratory diseases
such as pneumonia, especially in people with periodontal disease.  This
discovery leads researchers to believe that these respiratory bacteria
can travel from the oral cavity to the lungs."   Source:
http://www.perio.org/consumer/mbc.respiratory.htm
 
Estelle, I apologize for correcting you.  I was unaware of this oral path of
systemic infection regarding the lungs.  It is I that stand corrected. :-)
 
Sukie also was wondering about the effects of gum disease on insulinoma.
Actually the effect would be sort of positive.  "Severe periodontal disease
can INCREASE blood sugar, contributing to increased periods of time when
the body functions with high blood sugar.  This puts diabetics at
increased risk for diabetic complications", such as blindness.  Source:
http://www.perio.org/consumer/diabetes.htm
 
Well, although one beneficial side effect does exist for insulinoma, I
don't think anyone would argue that the risks outweigh the benefits.
Ferrets with healthy gums are far more likely to be healthier ferrets
than those without!
 
Take care!
 
Dodie the Dental Hygienist in South Jersey
[Posted in FML issue 3444]