Handbook of Oral-Systemic Health

The oral cavity acts as an intersection between dentistry and medicine, and provides an overview of the overall health of a person. Oral bacteria can contribute to diseases in other parts of the body. A number of systemic diseases have been associated with oral health including Alzheimer's disease and dementia, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and various types of cancers. The associations between oral and systematic health can be understood using two mechanisms. The first one is associated with the chronic inflammation in the oral cavity. This leads to an increase in inflammatory markers in the blood that affects the immune response or supplements the overall disease burden on the body. Secondly, the oral cavity may serve as a source for pathogenic bacteria to enter the bloodstream which can affect systemic pathologies. This book aims to shed light on some of the unexplored aspects of oral and systemic health, and the recent researches in this area of study. It presents researches and studies performed by experts across the globe. The book will serve as a valuable source of reference for graduate and postgraduate students.