The germs in your mouth could have a profound effect on your blood sugar levels – and, in turn, your risk of diabetes or heart disease.
In a new study by researchers at King’s College London and the University of Helsinki, 65 patients showed “remarkable improvements” in markers of blood sugar control after treatment for root canal infections.
These subjects were not given a glucose tolerance test, but blood samples showed that within three months of treatment, surgical or not, signs of systemic inflammation in their blood had improved.
Two years later, several markers of metabolic health also showed benefits.
The research team measured the group’s serum glucose levels before treating the oral infections. Two years after treatment, the group’s glucose levels had dropped significantly, along with markers of inflammation.
Related: Study links gum disease to brain white matter damage
High blood sugar levels are a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.
“Our findings show that root canal treatment doesn’t just improve oral health – it can also help reduce the risk of serious health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.” he says Lead author and endodontist Sadia Niazi from King’s College London.
“It’s a powerful reminder that oral health is deeply connected to overall health.”
The study had no control group and was observational, meaning the results can’t be used to determine cause and effect, but the team suspects that chronic infections of the tissues in and around the teeth may seep into the circulation and cause broader inflammatory changes, affecting our very blood chemistry.
This inflammatory state, in turn, could potentially affect insulin resistance and compromise blood sugar control.
This idea needs further testing, but the general hypothesis is supported by emerging evidence linking oral health to death and disease.
Increasingly, the evidence shows that poor oral hygiene may adversely affect the cardiovascular system. In a recent, surprising study, published in September, scientists found oral bacteria in the arterial plaque of people with coronary heart disease.
According to some estimatespeople with infectious lesions in and around their teeth may face more than double the risk of developing coronary heart disease down the road.
To test whether inflammatory markers, caused by oral infections, are linked to metabolic health, the researchers turned to patients with apical periodontitis (AP) – a chronic inflammatory condition caused by bacterial invasion of the pulp and root of the teeth.
Blood samples were taken at five points: before root canal treatment and then 3 months, 6 months, one year and 2 years after treatment.
The researchers measured a total of 44 metabolites in the blood, either associated with inflammation or metabolism. After root canal treatment, slightly more than half of the metabolites were significantly changed, particularly amino acids, glucose and lipids.
Three months after treatment, cholesterol had temporarily dropped. A key group of amino acids associated with insulin resistance was also reduced.
Improvements in blood glucose levels took longer to appear, appearing at two years. This coincided with a drop in pyruvate, a compound that affects inflammatory pathways.
If root canal treatment can really resolve cases hyperglycemiaresearchers believe it could potentially mediate a person’s risk of developing serious cardiovascular outcomes down the road.
One challenge with measuring blood metabolites, however, is that scientists still don’t really know how they all work or interact. There are thousands metabolites are circulating that can be measured, yet we often only know which health conditions they are associated with.
Examining just 44 metabolites can only give scientists a glimpse of what’s going on, but the results are interesting enough that the authors are calling for more research.
“It is vital that dental professionals recognize the wider impact of these root canal infections and advocate for early diagnosis and treatment.” he says Niazi.
“We also need to move toward integrated care, where dentists and general practitioners work together to monitor risks through these blood markers and protect overall health. It’s time to move beyond the tooth and take a truly holistic approach to dental care.”
The study was published in Journal of Translational Medicine.
