Oral Health and Dental Management

Vitamin K2 relative to the endocrine and exocrine aspects of dental caries

4^th Asia Pacific Congress & Expo on Dental and Oral Health

July 27-29, 2015 Brisbane, Australia

Ken Southward

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Oral Health Dent Manag

Abstract:

The links of oral and systemic diseases are continuing to emerge. While periodontal disease has been linked to many systemic diseases through the process of uncontrolled inflammation, the same paradigm has only recently been applied to dental caries. Southward?s systemic theory shows the caries process starting in the hypothalamus part of the brain. Through the endocrine system, signals are sent to the parotid glands. Like the pancreas, the parotid glands have both an endocrine and exocrine function. The endocrine part of the parotid gland secretes parotid hormone, which stimulates a centrifugal fluid flow through the tooth. This dentinal fluid flow both cleanses and nourishes the tooth from the inside. A high sugar diet elevates blood glucose levels. This causes the brain to signal for a halt or reverse of the dentinal flow. This allows oral acids to be absorbed by the tooth. Figuratively, a healthy tooth sweats and an unhealthy tooth acts more like a sponge. These acids irritate the dentin and pulp of the tooth, which responds with an inflammatory response. When inflammation can no longer be controlled, tissue breakdown occurs in a process similar to periodontal disease. It is the body?s own enzymes rather than acid that cause caries in the dentin. Antioxidants have been shown to preserve the dentinal fluid flow, even in elevated sugar diets. Vitamin K2 may preserve the centrifugal fluid flow moderated by the endocrine system. It may also influence salivary ph in the exocrine function of all salivary glands.