dentalANTIOXIDANTS.com

Welcome to dentalANTIOXIDANTS.com, the best source for information about the links among antioxidants, oral health, and overall systemic health.

Oral Health and the Systemic Link

The link between inflammation, oxidative stress and systemic disease is an important area of interest in medicine, particularly in vascular medicine. Oral infection and periodontal disease have been identified as risk factors and studies published by the New England Journal of Medicine and Journal of the American College of Cardiology affirm the link between periodontal disease and vascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.

Oxidative Stress in the Oral Tissue

When there are too many free radicals, or oxidants, in the body, the imbalance is called oxidative stress. In the oral cavity, oxidative stress is associated with infection or inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) and other soft tissues (periodontitis). But factors including alcohol consumption, exposure to nicotine, dental procedures, bleaching agents, dental cements and composite fillings also lead to oxidative stress. And oxidative stress in the oral cavity can be a major contributor to systemic oxidative stress--which leads to chronic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or vascular disease including heart attack or stroke.

Free Radicals

Just what is a free radical? It's an unstable molecule with an unpaired electron. In a process called oxidation, the unpaired electron steals electrons from other molecules, creating new unstable free radicals. Sometimes free radicals are called oxidants because they cause the oxidation process. Free radicals occur naturally in the body but can be increased by environmental and lifestyle factors, such as stress, pollutants or poor diet, and other substances, such as nicotine or alcohol. In the oral cavity, dental procedures and materials such as bleaching agents, dental cements and composite fillings can also increase the level of free radicals.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are molecules that counteract the process of oxidation. The large, complex antioxidant molecules can bond with the unpaired electrons of free radicals, effectively neutralizing the oxidation process. Some of the most effective antioxidants come from fruits and vegetables; dietary antioxidant supplements are also available.

An emerging and exciting means of countering the effects of free radicals is topical antioxidants, which are applied and not ingested. Research has already proven the effectiveness of topical antioxidants on skin cells. New research is demonstrating that combinations of antioxidants can be applied topically to oral cells to neutralize free radicals in oral tissues.