Is There Any Correlation Between Dental Issues and Chronic Illnesses?

Here is My Question:
Have you heard of any correlation of having teeth either pulled or a root canal leading to the development of chronic illnesses, including MS? The article I was referred to suggests that the many infectious organisms that would lead to the need for a root canal or tooth extraction remain in the body after the procedures. Since there is no tooth or nerve vessels for the bacteria to go to, they hibernate in the body and eventually spread to other parts of the body in a much stronger form. The article claims that many chronic diseases can occur this way, including MS and other neurological diseases.  READ ARTICLE

Answer:
Thank you for providing this web link on root canals. Frankly, I found it hard to sink my teeth into their logic. Chronic dental and gingival infections are common and have been linked to the worsening of many disease states including MS. Root canals do not solve the underlying problem, but it is doubtful that they either cause or worsen other disease states. Dental disease and gingivitis usually requires other more aggressive treatments in addition to procedures like root canals. In many cases it is simply best to extract the tooth. If your teeth and gums are in bad shape and you have MS, it is important for you to establish an aggressive treatment plan with your dentist and orthodontist. First and foremost, you need to stop smoking as this is the number one cause of chronic dental and gingival problems in adults.

Rip Kinkel MD
UCSD MS Center