Periodontal pathogens and their relationship to Respiratory infections Periodontal pathogens

Periodontal pathogens and their relationship to Respiratory infections Periodontal pathogens cause infection in the mouth. It can cause periodontitis or gum diseases. Periodontal diseases can cause bacterial pneumonia and worsen respiratory diseases like Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Periodontal diseases start with mild bacterial infection, and it gradually gets exacerbated. Unhealthy oral conditions help bacteria reside in plaque and multiply it, causing gums inflammation and ultimately damaging the gum, bone, and teeth. When the disease progresses, the gum recedes, and the teeth look longer than expected. Lack of appropriate treatment can cause loose teeth and even complete loss of teeth. The transmission mode is via Bacteria from the periodontal disease travels down to the lungs via droplets, then multiplies in the lungs causes infectious bacterial pneumonia and worsening COPD (Linden et al., 2016). It usually occurs in people with low immunity, elderly patients who cannot maintain proper oral hygiene , hospitalized patients who need assistance for oral hygiene, and patients with long-term use of medications causing gingivitis and other oral problems. Bacterial pneumonia is one of the leading causes of death in the geriatric population (Scannapieco et al., 2016). If it is not diagnosed early and started proper antibiotic therapy, it can result in sepsis and death. Smoking and tobacco use can cause gingivitis. When pneumonia occurred due to periodontal disease, it is crucial to treat the periodontal disease and the treatment for pneumonia. The dentist and physicians can work as a team and treat these patients to prevent the reoccurrence of this complication. Oral health is vital for the overall well-being of the individual(Healthy People,2020). Determinants of Health Determinants of health are economic stability, education, neighborhood, and physical environment, social support network, and access to healthcare.