Study Links Gum Disease To Psoriasis

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A study carried out in Taiwan has revealed a link between gum disease and psoriasis.

According to researchers, people who have gum disease are more likely to develop the skin condition, psoriasis. Dr Joseph. J. Keller and Dr H-C Lin, from Taipei Medical University, analysed data from 230,000 people and found that those who had gum disease were 54 per cent more likely to develop psoriasis over a 5 year period than those who did not have gum disease.

Psoriasis is a skin condition, which affects almost two million people in theUK; it causes the skin to become very red, dry and irritated.

Speaking about the study, Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, said that there is an increasing body of evidence to support the importance of good oral health. Dr Carter said that further research into the specific links between gum disease and other health conditions was required; however, it is becoming increasingly apparent that poor oral health is not just an oral health problem and for this reason, oral hygiene must be prioritised by members of the public.

Dr Carter encouraged the public to stick to a good daily oral hygiene routine and attend regular dental check-ups to reduce the risk of decay and gum disease and therefore reduce the risk of associated health problems.

The study linking gum disease with psoriasis was published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

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