By IANS
New York : Obese people are more likely to face increasing risk of gum disease, a new research in the US suggests.
Obesity, or excessive body fat, is already linked to a range of health problems. It has been shown to cause cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, sleep disorder and bone loss.
In the new study, researchers at the Boston University found that obesity may make a person vulnerable to the bacteria that cause gum disease.
Tests on mice found that the obese among them had higher levels of P. gingivalis in their mouths and suffered more bone loss around their teeth, one of the most common side-effects of the infection, reported the online edition of BBC News.
In addition, the obese mice had lower levels of certain immune system chemicals normally released by the body to help fight infection.