The Mouth and IBD

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a condition that affects the digestive tract, but it can also affect the rest of the body, too. One particular area often hit hard by IBD – and one often forgot about – is the mouth. Learn about the effects of IBD on the mouth and how visiting Millennium Smiles in Frisco, Texas, regularly can help.

The Mouth-Body Connection

The mouth is part of the digestive tract, and in many cases, people living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis may develop sores or ulcers in the mouth, too, just like they do in their intestines.

The gums often bear the brunt of the damage caused by IBD. Many people with the condition get periodontitis, an infection of the gums around the teeth. Periodontitis is very painful and can increase the risk of tooth loss and negatively affect your overall health.

Increased inflammation levels cause by IBD can also increase inflammation in the gums, making them painful and sore.

The teeth are also affected by IBD. One study showed that people with Crohn’s disease have an increased level of two different types of bacteria in their saliva, Lactobacilli and Streptococcus pinmutan. Also, in many cases, the medications taken by IBD sufferers can cause damage to the teeth. Finally, because many IBD sufferers experience nutritional deficiency, their teeth can be subject to tooth decay.

If You Have IBD…

If you’re living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis that means you’re going to need more trips to the dentist than people without IBD. We recommend that you talk to Dr. Korous about an appointment schedule to monitor the health of your teeth and gums.

Living with IBD also means that you’re also going to need to be vigilant about brushing and flossing, too. We recommend making sure that you brush at least twice per day and floss at least once per day.

Other Things to Remember

If you’re living with IBD, we also suggest that you don’t smoke or quit smoking. People with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis who smoke have been shown to have more severe effects of these conditions. Smoking can also increase the chances of developing periodontitis and oral cancer.

Are you living with IBD? Give Millennium Smiles in Frisco a call to talk about how we can help keep your mouth healthy at 972-468-8771.