Brushing your teeth may be good for your liver: Linking oral health to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

he study by Pischke et al. [1], which explores the relationships between non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and periodontitis, warrants commendation. The analysis involved 32 patients with NASH and 100 randomly, sequentially gathered, controls from a local dental clinic. The results revealed a markedly higher incidence of periodontitis among those with NASH. Additionally, liver stiffness measurement (LSM) through transient elastography (TE) had a significant correlation with an increase in specific periodontal parameters such as pocketprobing-depths and bleeding-on-probing. Most notably, the study found that the progression of NASH could be potentially tempered through regular oral health care. Consequently, hepatologists should emphasize to their patients the significance of periodic dental checkups [1]