CERTAINLY it would be highly improbable that any dentist, under normal circumstances, would recommend that anyone should extract all their teeth. But technically, it is a proven fact that pulling out all your teeth may be good for your lungs. Before you “kill” me, allow me to explain. It has been observed that certain lung infections are rare in those people who do not have any teeth. Several studies have shown an association between oral health and respiratory diseases such as pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This disease refers to a group of slowly progressive diseases of the airways that are characterised by a gradual loss of lung function. This group includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and asthma.
A connection between the mouth and the lungs is not too surprising. If the mouth is full of bacteria, it is only reasonable to assume that some of it ends up in our lungs. Of course, if we have a lot of the wrong types of bacteria in our mouths, they may cause trouble in our lungs and airways. Bacteria that inhabit the mouth are often found causing trouble in the bronchial tubes and lungs.
Streptococcus pneumonia, a frequent oral troublemaker, is a common cause of bacterial pneumonia. Chlamydia, mycoplasma, and Neisseria are other oral bacteria that can cause pneumonia. While these bacteria are often in our mouths and airways, they do not always cause trouble. Normally, the body’s immune system fights off these troublemakers. But in times of excessive stress, malnutrition, or other infections, the immune system’s resistance is depressed, and these germs can quickly get out-of-hand. When a person’s resistance is lowered, bacteria work their way into the lungs and inflame the air sacs. The lungs fill with fluid, preventing the delivery of oxygen into the bloodstream. This is what happens when someone gets pneumonia. Pneumonia is a common illness affecting all age-groups, and is a leading cause of death among the elderly, or those who are chronically ill.
Asthma is another common respiratory problem. It is a chronic disease that affects the airways, carrying air in and out of the lungs. The airways occasionally constrict, become inflamed, and fill with excessive amounts of mucus, making breathing very difficult. For reasons not known, asthma is increasing in Western populations. It is generally believed to be incurable. In recent years, a growing body of evidence suggests that the most severe form of asthma is caused by infections.
Where do the infections come from? You guessed it! The mouth! The primary guilty party appears to be Chlaymdiapneumonia, a microbe that is a common cause of pneumonia. In asthma, bacteria infect the airways leading to the lungs. The bacteria cling to mucous membranes, causing irritation and chronic low-grade inflammation. This has led researchers to propose treating asthma with antibiotics. Clinical studies using this approach have proven to be surprisingly effective. Many people can attest to the use of antibiotic therapy to “cure” asthma.
Now, I am typing this article in a hotel room in Brooklyn, New York, and I was just off the phone from a friend who said, “My story is proof that extremely severe asthma can be cured. I came close to dying when a near fatal asthma attack put me into full respiratory and cardiac arrest!”
As with many asthma sufferers, Jane’s (that’s not her real name) flare-ups were intense, and sleeping was difficult. “Every single night was hell for me. I spent many evenings in hospital emergency rooms because my asthma was completely out of control… The only relief I ever had was when I took a dose pack of steroids. My bedroom looked like a hospital ward, since I had air cleaners, a humidifier, a special electronic air cleaner, and a breathing machine with a bunch of tubes. Despite all the gizmos, I still could not breathe properly.”
A pharmacist friend told Jane about some new research connecting asthma with bacteria. Jane found a doctor who was willing to treat her with antibiotics. It was discouraging at first. It took her six months, and several rounds of antibiotics before she no longer needed an inhaler. It was nearly a year before she felt completely normal.
Jane told me: “Now that my asthma is completely cured, I live an active lifestyle that includes walking on the beaches, and hiking on the Florida trails and parks. I did all of this and much more with no inhalers, no medicines, and best of all, with no asthma.”
Preliminary studies have shown that bacteria are responsible for up to 60 per cent of all cases of asthma, and it may even be higher in Guyana. In such cases, antibiotics may be useful, but in Jane’s case, it took time.
For the people who use inhalers and other medication for their asthma, I certainly will not tell them to stop. However, that is not a cure. If the infection is coming from a tooth, antibiotics are not always as effective as they are for other infections, because bacteria can burrow inside teeth where antibiotics cannot easily reach.
It may sound unbelievable, but with few exceptions, all diseases start in the mouth. I am not talking about conditions caused by genetics, or physical or emotional trauma; I am talking about the majority of illnesses and disease that plague the human race, including chronic degenerative disease. It is through the mouth that all disease gets their start. Think about it for a moment. Our mouths and nasal passages are the passageways into our bodies. (The vagina, anus and urethra all have preventive mechanisms unless they are damaged.)  It is through the mouth and sinuses that we take in air and get nourishment — the two things most vital to our survival and existence.  This is also the passageway into our bodies for disease-causing (toxic) poisons and germs.
Although ignored by both dentists and physicians for decades, the focal infection theory would not die. Too often the connection between dental and systemic disease kept popping up. Researchers were too young to remember the focal infection theory of earlier years rediscovered it on their own. Numerous began appearing in medical and dental journals, connecting various acute and chronic illnesses with oral health. By the turn of the 21st Century, the focal theory of infection had made a dramatic comeback. Today, it is universally accepted, yet, unfortunately, it is still underappreciated by most physicians.