Ask Your Dentist About Your Prostate

Men who are having trouble peeing may want to consult their dentist. That’s right: dentist. Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and the Departments of Urology and Pathology at University Hospitals Case Medical Center are convinced that prostatitis–inflammation of the prostate–is linked to gum disease. A Case Western news release reports that the researchers studied 27 men, all of whom had a needle biopsy within the past year that confirmed inflammation of the prostate gland, and a blood test that showed elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels—possible signs of inflammation and cancer. All the men had moderate to severe gum disease, and all were treated for that, then tested again for periodontal disease four to eight weeks later and showed significant improvement. Here’s the interesting part: During the periodontal care, the men received no treatment for their prostate conditions. But even without prostate treatment, 21 of the 27 men showed decreased levels of PSA. Those with the highest levels of inflammation benefited the most from the periodontal treatment.