Connections between obesity and gum disease

What’s the connection between being overweight and gum disease? Most theories suggest that fat cells produce many chemical signals and hormones that can increase inflammation in the body, decrease the effectiveness of your immune system, and increase your susceptibility to periodontal disease. 

Other theories point to the possible eating habits of overweight people and the connections to simple sugars that our mouths convert to plaque. As plaque accumulates on teeth and gums, gingivitis, periodontitis, and tooth decay may become inevitable.

Bacteria from gum disease may interfere with fat metabolism, leading to elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol.

Obesity is related to gum disease through the pathway of insulin resistance, which is a condition in which the body does not respond well to the action of insulin.

There's a relationship between obesity, insulin resistance, and periodontal disease in a large population. This relationship is important because obesity is an important risk factor for Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It is possible that periodontal disease increases the likelihood of their manifestation.