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Sitting is the New Smoking

Experts at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center performed a 12-year study on 17,000 Canadians aged 18-90. They found that regardless of age, body weight, or exercise levels, people who spent more time sitting ended up dying earlier.

Obesity was one of the top topics at the AAOSH Scientific Session again this year. Speakers discussed the cumulative cost of obesity in America, the relationship between food, nutrition, and dentistry, the growing epidemic of childhood obesity and the disease continuum that obesity sets in motion – often ending in cardiovascular disease. In the final session of the meeting, speaker Dr. Uche Odiatu recapped the dangers of our inactive, desk-bound society with the quote “sitting is the new smoking”. Today our sedentary lifestyle is literally killing us the same way that smoking does.

After just 20 minutes of sitting, your body thinks you’ve gone to sleep and responds accordingly. Metabolism slows, cholesterol levels go up, blood sugar spikes, and triglycerides — which are components of fat — rise as well. The long-term effects of sitting are equally as severe. Experts at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center performed a 12-year study on 17,000 Canadians aged 18-90. They found that regardless of age, body weight, or exercise levels, people who spent more time sitting ended up dying earlier. "Even breaks as short as one minute can improve your health," said Stuart McGill, Ph.D., director of the Spine Biomechanics Laboratory at the University of Waterloo, adding that frequent postural changes also help the body stay mobile.

"Smoking is bad for you even if you get lots of exercise, so is sitting too much."

While sitting may be increasing our risk of heart attack and stroke, Amy Doneen and Dr. Brad Bale are using oral health to reduce that risk. According to the Journal of the American Heart Association, Circulation, endodontic and periodontic infections may be one of the catalysts that trigger heart attacks!

86% of heart attacks happen in a vessel with less than 70% blockage. Every day someone passes a stress test and goes on to have a heart attack. 64% of women who have a heart attack or stroke have no prior warning signs. 50% of heart attacks occur in patients with normal cholesterol. Traditional risk assessment for cardiovascular disease is clearly failing many patients.

Using the Bale/Doneen method, all patients with cholesterol build up in the wall of an artery (atherosclerotic disease) are treated preventatively to reduce the risk of a deadly heart attack or stroke. This method of prevention requires healthcare providers to work together. Bale/Doneen recommend dentists read PANs for calcified arteries and refer patients to cardiologists as needed. Calcifications in the carotid artery of the neck, often visible in panoramic radiographs, are an indication of both local and generalized (systemic) atherosclerosis. They also recommend doctors (and dentists) test at-risk patients for Lp-PLA2 (Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A-2), a marker for vascular inflammation that is FDA approved for coronary heart disease assessment and stroke risk assessment. According to Bale/Doneen, periodontal disease treatment has been shown to reduce Lp-PLA2 levels.

Together the speakers made a compelling case for a united healthcare effort to combat obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and the serious diseases that they cause.

Other news from AAOSH 2013

  • Dr. Susan Maples - In 2014, Delta will reimburse $50/patient for offices that complete CAMBRA forms; use code D0601 (finding of low risk) or D0602 (finding of moderate risk) or D0603 (finding of high risk)
  • Rose Nierman - Billing procedures to medical insurance requires “medical necessity” which must involve one or more of the following:
    • Pain
    • Accident
    • Infection
    • Dysfunction (TMJ/Apnea)
  • Rose Nierman - 80% of medical claims for Oral Sleep Appliances are being paid; 50% of medical claims for TMD appliances are being paid
  • Rose Nierman - Medical insurance will sometimes pay for Botox treatment in conjunction with migraines, but not for TMD/TMJ
  • Dr. Susan Maples - Start an 80/20 club in your practice – patients over age 80 with 20 or more teeth – recognize and celebrate this group
  • Dr. Chip Whitney - 8 risks and behaviors (such poor diet, physical inactivity, and smoking) drive the incidence of the 15 most common chronic conditions that account for 80% of total health care costs for all chronic illness worldwide.
  • Dr. Susan Maple - Today the average American consumes 77 pounds of added sugar annually, or more than 22 teaspoons of added sugar a day. Read more about why sugar is toxic and addictive.

If you weren’t able to attend the 2013 AAOSH Scientific Session, you can order the complete DVD set of all the lectures. For information you can share with patients about the connection between periodontal disease and heart disease, check out the Total Health program.