Coronavirus: Oral immune system affects the risk of infection and course of the disease – Naturopathy naturopathy specialist portal

15/04/2020 Corona, coronavirus, Covid, immune system, oral flora, oral health, oral hygiene, oral mucosa, SARS-CoV-2

Oral hygiene: An important protection

Against the Background of the Corona pandemic, it is more important than ever to pay special attention to good oral health, advises the oral health Foundation. Because a healthy oral mucosa and an intact oral immune system does not only provide a protective function against SARS-CoV-2, but also against other pathogenic bacteria, which can worsen during an infection, the progression of the disease.

The oral health Foundation advises in a recent recommendation to place during the Corona pandemic, an increased attention to the mouth hygiene. Because the oral cavity is a stove for pathogenic germs, which enter from there into the body. With simple saliva tests, each self could find at home, how to be fit oral immune system.

A study from Wuhan, shows a oral protection function

Researchers from Wuhan, China, showed that there is a barrier of skin by the mouth and by an intact oral immune protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection can provide. Also during an infection, the oral immune system and the lining of the mouth helps skin, extra bacteria to fend off, which can lead to complications such as pneumonia and Sepsis

Good oral hygiene protects against pneumonia

A further long-term study of 100,000 people over a period of eleven years, showed that effective measures for dental hygiene, the risk of pneumonia as a complication of up to 66 percent reduced. This is not, of course, COVID-19 but, generally speaking, on all the diseases related.

People with periodontal disease and Diabetes should give special attention

Periodontitis and Diabetes are common chronic diseases. Diabetes is also closely linked with periodontal disease, because diabetics and diabetics only more often from periodontitis than healthy people, the Severity of the periodontitis is more common the higher, the worse the blood sugar is controlled, warns the oral health Foundation.

The oral cavity provides the first hurdle for SARS-CoV-2

The majority of the receptor (ACE2), the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 to go in the body, are located in the mouth. Thus, the oral cavity is the main portal of Entry for the Virus. The immune system in the mouth is the first hurdle for entrants germs. The healthier the oral mucosa and the oral immune system are, the harder germs have to overcome this hurdle.

Quick test shows

The German society for Parodontologie (DG PARO) and the German society for Dental, oral and craniomandibular Sciences (DGZMK) recommend a so-called aMMP-8 Test, the state of oral health to uncover. Especially for people with obesity, Diabetes and a weak immune system this would be useful.

The Test measures the enzyme aMMP-8 (active Matrix Metalloproteinase-8), which is decisive for the tissue-removal in the oral cavity responsible. The resulting collagen degradation’m making the oral mucosa more permeable and allows germs, easier to penetrate.

The important measures for oral hygiene

As the most important measure to improve the oral health regular dental care serves. Should be included in the oral health Foundation the following:

Two – clean up three times a day teeth.
Daily cleaning of the interdental spaces with interdental brushes or dental floss.
The regular use of appropriate anti-microbial mouth rinses.

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