Hidden Oral Infections & Whole Body Health

There are lots of reasons why people choose to see a holistic, biological dentist. Many want someone they can trust to take a conservative approach; to use materials and techniques that support whole body health; to help them maintain their currently good oral health so it continues to contribute to their overall wellness.

Some, though, come to us after a long and often frustrating journey, seeking help for health issues that have lingered for years. They’ve gone from doctor to doctor, specialist to specialist. They’ve tried different treatments and therapies. Yet something still feels off.

In their quest for answers, they discovered a surprising possibility: What if their chronic health issues are in some way related to their mouth?

Perhaps they read about the impact of mercury exposure from old “silver” amalgam fillings or lingering infection in root canal treated teeth. Maybe they heard podcasts or saw videos describing how trouble with the bite can have ripple effects throughout the body. Or maybe they saw social posts about something called “cavitations” – a term that can sound a little mysterious but points to an often overlooked oral health issue.

When Healing Doesn’t Happen: Understanding “Cavitations”

The proper term for what we’re talking about here is ischemic bone disease, which you might also hear called jawbone osteonecrosis, FOBD (focal osteoporotic bone defect), or FDOJ (fatty degenerative osteonecrosis of the jaw). These are essentially areas in your jawbone where healing hasn’t properly occured. The surface tissue may look healthy, but it conceals empty space in the bone that should have regenerated but didn’t.

These hidden lesions form when there’s not good blood flow to a portion of the bone, leading to tissue death. They often develop after tooth extraction – especially if the periodontal ligament is left behind – becoming a harbor for bacteria and the toxins they generate.

What makes ischemic bone disease particularly challenging is that there are often no symptoms. After all, bone tissue contains few nerve endings to signal when something is amiss. You may feel some soreness in the jaw or face, but that’s about it. “Cavitations” can thus go undetected for years – until it’s spotted on a CBCT image of the jaws or confirmed through other diagnostics.

Why Ischemic Bone Disease Matters

Although ischemic bone disease affects relatively small areas of the jawbone, it can affect the whole body in some significant ways. It involves chronic infection, after all, which means chronic inflammation and an ongoing burden on the immune system. In fact, some have gone as far as to say that chronic inflammation is the driver of “all diseases.”

It’s not just about the bacteria in those areas of dead tissue. It’s also about the toxic metabolic waste they generate, which, like bacteria, can migrate throughout the body.

Ischemic bone disease has been known to raise the risk of autoimmune conditions or make existing conditions worse. It may likewise contribute to problems such as chronic fatigue, joint pain, digestive issues, heart disease, and even neurological conditions.

Addressing the infection can thus become the vital first step in finally beginning to heal. In simplest terms, removing the oral burden gives the body a fighting chance to respond to systemic therapies.

“Cavitations” are so overlooked in dentistry today, we devoted a whole episode of our podcast to the condition. Listen now as Dr. T and Dr. Isabel discuss what it is, how it can develop, and, most importantly, how we can treat it successfully:

Image courtesy of IAOMT