Periodontitis Possible Cause Of Erectile Dysfunction

The saying goes that you should never look a gift horse in the mouth. That is because it used to be common knowledge that the state of a horse's health was clearly visible in its teeth and gums. Now Chinese researchers are saying that even a man's performance can be read from his mouth.

Periodontitis is an inflammation or infection in the gums, which can spread to the bone and cause bone recession and tooth loss. The symptoms include dark and tender gums which bleed easily, bad breath and loose teeth. If the researchers from Luzhou Medical College are correct the symptoms may also include impotence.

15.8% of Men with Periodontitis Have Erectile Dysfunction.

The researchers, whose findings were recently published by the Journal of Sexual Medicine, were following up on a 2009 Israeli case study which found that periodontal disease increased significantly with the severity of erectile issues - only 2.1% of men without erectile dysfunction had advanced periodontitis, whereas the figures were 9.8% and 15.8% respectively for mild and severe erectile dysfunction.

To further study the link between periodontitis and impotence, the Luzhou researchers induce periodontal disease in rats and observed their ability to reach an erection, as compared to a control group. Their results validated the 2009 Israeli study: rats with gum disease were significantly more likely to suffer from impotence.

Many have been sceptical about the link between dental and penile health. Dr. Andrew Kramer, an expert on erectile dysfunction from the University of Maryland Medical Center, said of the study:

 "I don't think your gums are related to your penis in any reasonable way."

 Donald S. Clem, president of the American Academy of Periodontology, concurred by pointing out periodontitis and erectile dysfunction may both simply be symptoms of a greater problem, such as poor nutrition.

Those supporting the link, however, have a theory. The Luzhou researchers found that periodontitis increased the level of inflammation in the rats' bodies. It is previously known that chronic inflammation is bad for your health, but the researchers believe that the inflammation is to blame for another discovery: the rats with periodontitis had unusually low levels of an enzyme called eNOS, which produces nitric oxide. Nitric oxide in turn is used to relax the smooth muscles of the penis, to allow blood flow into the erectile tissue. In other words: chronic inflammation causes impotence.

Abdominal fat also related to Impotence

This theory is particularly interesting in light of some other medical facts. One of the most common causes of chronic inflammation, for example, is abdominal fat, which has long been linked with erectile problems. Heart disease, another major player in erectile dysfunction, is also linked with chronic inflammation.

EDGuider Blog: Overweight and Obese Men with Erectile Dysfunction, What to Do?

Further research is necessary in order to find whether treating periodontal disease would also teat erectile dysfunction, but there may be a reminder here that overall health is closely linked to a healthy sex life, regardless of how unrelated the issue may look on the surface.