The
evidence from this paper, although preliminary, supports
the conclusion that oral diseases may have an association
with the occurrence and severity of the following conditions:
diabetes mellitus, heart disease, preterm low birth
weight babies, and lung disease. In addition, oral hygiene
treatment was found to improve diabetic control of type 2
diabetes and to reduce the risk of premature birth and low
birth weight. Following the publication of the 2004 position
paper, substantial new research on this topic has been
published. This current position paper updates the 2004
paper with a growing body of research that supports a link
between oral diseases and systemic diseases. This new position
paper is divided into two sections; the first section
covered heart disease and diabetes and was published in
the November-December 2006 issue of this journal. The
second section, in this issue of the journal, covers preterm
low birth weight babies and respiratory disease.
Full Position Paper:
http://www.cdha.ca/pdf/respiratory_part_II_eng.pdf
