Why Periodontal Disease is Linked to Crohn's Disease

 Periodontal (gum) disease in humans with Crohn's disease is common, with evidence suggesting a bidirectional relationship where both conditions exacerbate each other. Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) are roughly three times more likely to develop periodontal disease and often experience more severe periodontal breakdown, including deeper pockets, increased bone loss, and higher bleeding on probing compared to those without IBD. 

Why Periodontal Disease is Linked to Crohn's Disease

The connection between oral health and Crohn’s disease is based on a "gum-gut axis," where shared inflammatory pathways and bacteria interact: 

• Microbial Dysbiosis: The oral microbiome in CD patients is altered (dysbiosis), often showing an overgrowth of bacteria similar to those found in the inflamed gut, such as Fusobacteriaceae and Prevotella.
• Systemic Inflammation: Chronic inflammation in the mouth (periodontitis) can trigger systemic immune responses that exacerbate gut inflammation. Conversely, active Crohn’s flares can raise inflammatory markers, causing more damage to the gum tissue.
• Immune Dysfunction: Both diseases involve an abnormal, aggressive immune response, characterized by the overproduction of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β) in both the gut and the mouth.
• "Oralization" of the Gut: Oral bacteria can be swallowed, leading to "oralization" of the gut microbiome, which disrupts the normal bacterial balance and contributes to intestinal flare-ups. 

Common Oral Manifestations of Crohn's Disease

Periodontal disease in CD patients often manifests alongside other oral issues, which can sometimes appear before intestinal symptoms: 

• Gingivitis and Periodontitis: General inflammation of the gums, which can progress to bone loss and tooth mobility.
• Oral Granulomatosis: Swelling of the lips or face (orofacial area).
• Cobblestone Mucosa: A bumpy, swelling appearance on the inside of the cheeks or lips.
• Aphthous Ulcers: Recurrent, painful canker sores.
• Mucosal Tags: Skin tag-like growths inside the mouth.
• Xerostomia (Dry Mouth): Reduced saliva production, often caused by medications, which increases the risk of tooth decay. 

Impact of Treatments and Symptoms

• Medication Side Effects: Corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, while managing CD, can increase susceptibility to oral infections and Candidiasis (yeast infection).
• Nutritional Deficiencies: Poor absorption of nutrients (like iron, calcium, and B vitamins) due to intestinal damage can weaken oral tissues and bone.
• Surgical Impact: Patients with CD who have undergone intestinal surgery may have higher plaque levels. 

Management and Recommendations

Timely and regular dental check-ups are crucial for individuals with Crohn’s disease. 

• Oral Hygiene: Rigorous daily oral hygiene (brushing 3+ times a day) can reduce the risk of CD exacerbation.
• Preventive Care: Frequent professional scaling and root planing are necessary to manage the increased risk of periodontitis.
• Waterpik/Interdental Brushes: Patients with joint pain (common in CD) may benefit from tools like a Waterpik to manage plaque.
• Multidisciplinary Care: Coordination between a dentist, gastroenterologist, and periodontist is necessary for comprehensive management. 

Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes based on research and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.

Dream Journal

 I had a dream, crazy dream

 All I remembered from it was

 that I received a check, a paper check

 and on the back of the check in the middle (not even in the signature area) someone wrote the names 

just like this:

Chad:_____

Judi:_____

And I thought to myself, that he's not going to get my money (because he didn't sign that check before it was sent to me) and I know how to deposit that check without having to get his signature.

At this point, I do not know or have anyone in my life named Chad, and so I don't know if this event was from the past, or that it's a premonition of something that's going to happen from the future.

Why Chad? LOL

I usually don't blog about politics, but this is an historic event. Former President Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony charges.

I usually don't blog about politics, but this is an historic event. Former President Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony charges. He is a 100% felon times 34. So do you think his illegal tax accounting practices is the real reason why that he didn't want to publish his tax return for the public to see? 

Did you know that all U.S. presidents have voluntarily published their personal tax filings since Nixon in the 1970's?

I feel sorry for his wife and youngest child. To hear that his father paid for sex in a courtroom outside of his marriage to his mother must be hard to come to terms with when he was trying to hide the payment. He can say it's a lie, but Stormy Daniel's testimony is now a part of the court record. Silk pajamas and all. And his attorney went to jail after hiding his hush money payments to her.

Can I ... rewire my patio landscaping lights?

My dad used to do the wiring for me at my home when he was still alive. He was great at it. He re-wired all of the necessary GFI outlets in the kitchen and bathrooms before we moved in. Thank you, dad. Then he wired up my patio lights at one point, but detached them when we had a tree removed, or rather ground down the stump because the lighting was in the way.

I want my lights on the patio back. I want to plug in my fountain I bought for $50 on Craigslist.

I bought new covers and outlets.

I think I can do it according to http://waterheatertimer.org/Basic-house-wiring.html

Two outlets wired in parallel:

Remember:

brass = black / Hot

silver = white / Neutral

green = ground

Thank you Gene Hayes for the instruction! I think I got it now!!

[ Remember to post a photo of the lighting on the patio once the job is done.]

Can ... I write a musical?

 I think I have the workings of a musical stuck in my head.

I think it's going to be about the life of office workers who work on the "65th Floor".

This scene reflects the dysfunction of the recruiting department with a manager who is looking for new people to hire to fill a position.

The interviewee sings:

I am but a person that came to you to get a job.

Now that I have interviewed, I'm glad I get to walk away strong. I hope I don't have to wait long.

The interviewer/manager sings:

I am but a manager who needs to fill this position. 

With the hope that they would bring all of the knowledge and expertise a

seasoned professional has, but the reality is we subtitled this role with entry-level

to see who it would attract. Hoping for that desperate worker with all of the skills who is willing to take less pay and work more and work harder than ever before to prove they have something this company needs and then after giving them a raise, we lay them off and start the cycle over again.

Don't forget - we promote from within. It never happens. And the worker starts again.

High turnover is a red flag. Remember that. It's a sign of poor management and internal strife.

Your Permanent Record

 

What is your Permanent Record?

 An accumulation of individual records that represent certain events over a lifetime.

1. Birth & Death

2. Education

3. Employment

4. Financial (Credit, Real Estate & Taxes)

5. Marital Status (Marriage & Divorce); children

6. Medical

7. Judicial and/or Criminal Records, if any.

8. Personal achievements outside of 1-7.

Rootstech 2024

Today at RootsTech, I was at home while participating in a Notables Project Q and A for Wikitree live on their YouTube channel.

There's a first time for everything.

Thanksgiving 2023

It's the weekend before the holiday and I'm running a bit late this year so it's time to make plans for Thanksgiving 2023!

The Menu:

Roasted turkey legs

Stuffing

Roasted carrots in extra virgin olive oil and rosemary

Garlic mashed potatoes

Cranberry jelly

Turkey gravy

I'm making, for the second year in a row, this dairy-free pumpkin pie recipe for dessert --> https://myredrecipebook.blogspot.com/2022/11/dairy-free-pumpkin-pie-2022-version.html 

My son picked up turkey legs on sale at Aldi earlier in the week and put them in the freezer. I think turkey legs are the way to go for two people and especially because we like turkey, but we don't need a whole turkey to be able to enjoy it. I had to make a special trip to my local Ralph's Fresh Faire today to buy Country Crock Plant Creme to make the pie.

As of whenever I got back from shopping today, all of the ingredients have been gathered, so now I have to figure out the timing for the cooking. We usually eat Thanksgiving for lunch. And the only things that need to go into the oven are the turkey legs, the carrots and the pumpkin pie. I'll cook the potatoes in the instant pot and the stuffing on top of the stove.

The Timing:

• pie 325* for one hour
• the turkey legs will cook for an hour at 350* ( Oh, no! The turkey legs that we placed in the freezer when bought them did not thaw in 24 hours after being placed in the refrigerator, so now we have to extend the cooking time to make sure they thaw & cook thoroughly.) So probably 2 hours cooking time. These were cooked in a foil pocket until 30 minutes before the end time, then unsealed to brown. Delicious!
• the roasted carrots will be 30-35 minutes
• the potatoes in the instant pot will cook for 30 minutes we want to make sure those potatoes are good and done. The vegan butter will be placed in a saucepan, heated, and we'll toast the garlic before adding it to the cooked potatoes.
• We heated the rolls on the same sheet that was used for the pie.

I saw Joe Lynn Turner perform once

 https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/joe-lynn-turner-years-fronting-160000218.html

I was reading the above link and the man said, "My wife is too young to have even seen a Rainbow concert."

This reminded me that I was 16 when they played Madison Square Garden on their "Straight Between the Eyes" tour. Just a kid with zero money and no means to go anywhere when I saw the ad for the concert in one of the rock music magazines I bought religiously or at least every chance I got through high school.

And then one day, I found he was playing at a local supper club called The Coach House and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get tickets. He sang all of the hits and some of his new songs, too. 

Goodbye Amerihome, Hello New Opportunity

 Today I was a part of RIF #4 at Amerihome Mortgage's Retail office location in Irvine. They said it was due to the uptick in interest rates. 

On Fridays, most operations personnel are allowed to work from home and I was the only OPS person in the office today (because I'm, err was the post closing specialist that prepares, logs, and ships collateral every day, among other compliance tasks and occasional government insuring duties) besides the CD manager and she walked me out after getting laid off on a conference call with my personal belongings. Everyone else laid off today is having their stuff handed to them in a box at the front door once they surrender their electronic keys and computer hardware on Monday.

I am thankful that I got some great experience working at Amerihome to complement my post-closing, trailing docs experience, and MERS SME role working at Kinecta FCU for 5 years. I also ran the credit dispute desk there for a short time, updating their SOPS and bringing their administrative processes into compliance. As you can tell, I love the back-office jobs.