Dental cleanings improve lung function in COPD patients

The Canadian Lung Association reports that 10% of Canadians have lung disease or COPD. Half of these 3 million Canadians have a formal diagnosis, the others simply struggle on with difficulty breathing.

A growing number of studies have connected oral health to lung function. But only recently has there been a prospective controlled study to formally show a significant improvement in the lung function of COPD patients over 2 years after regular dental cleanings (compared to a control group which received no dental cleanings).

In this breakthrough study, dental cleanings were either above or below the gum line. Importantly, in this study, there was no significant difference on lung function between the two kinds of cleanings.

As healthcare gets more and more expensive, routine procedures such as the dental cleaning, need to justify themselves. Are they worth it, do they reduce disease burdens?

For 3 million Canadians, this study underscores the importance of regular hygiene visits.

But how do we get out the word to this large number of Canadian adults? I have already posted this study on the Facebook page of Partners in Prevention which reaches now 60,000 older women in 7 Canadian communities. The response has been remarkable.