A…A…
ENC3254
Informative Speech Outline
Topic: Periodontal Disease
Specific purpose: Informing the audience about periodontal disease as a risk factor for other disease and
conditions.
Central Idea: There are three conditions that may be due, in part, to periodontal disease: cardiovascular
diseases, respiratory diseases, and birth complications.
Introduction
Imagine that it’s nearly bedtime. You’ll probably get up and brush your teeth, mainly
from fear of the terrifying whine of a dentist’s drill. I’d say that most of you get that far.
By the time you’re foaming at the lips, most of you successfully smother the little voice
that reminds you to floss. It’s no surprise, then, that a 2001 study led by Diane Wayne
and others found that 30% of young adults and 80% of those over 65 have periodontal
disease. Worse, recent studies have shown that periodontal disease is not just an
unfortunate side effect of laziness, but a starting point for other chronic diseases.
Prior to a review of literature on this topic, I spent 4 months researching with the
bacterial resistance of the periodontal bacteria in the UF department of Oral Biology. The
bacteria’s virulence and persistence against antibiotics are key properties in the widereaching effects I will go over. They also have a very unpleasant smell, much like the
breath of the person next to you. Periodontal disease is a disease of the mouth, and it
starts with the accumulation of plaque in the mouth. Bacteria congregate on the plaque
and then get introduced into the bloodstream. Once in the blood, these pathogens may
help cause other diseases. This is why periodontal disease is often called a “risk factor.”
There are several of these at-risk complications, and three of them are cardiovascular
diseases, respiratory diseases, and birth complications.
Body
I. Cardiovascular diseases, particularly related to arterial blood vessels, have been
associated with periodontal disease.
A. Periodontal pathogens that enter the bloodstream induce an immune response.
B. The association between the two depends on the level of immune response
(Transition: Next, respiratory diseases are equally debilitating complications of periodontal
disease.)
II. Respiratory diseases include pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
A. The potential role of periodontal pathogens includes providing good conditions
for the growth of corresponding respiratory pathogens.
B. It seems very likely that there is a strong association between the two diseases.
(Transition: The impact on fetal development is perhaps more worrisome than the effect of periodontal
disease on our own health.)
III. Women with periodontal disease have an increased risk of pregnancy complications
compared to healthy women.
1
A. Studies show that the mechanism for this association is based on periodontal
bacteria penetrating the placenta and even the fetus.
B. The fetus can have an antibody response to combat bacteria from the mother’s
mouth.
(Transition: I’ll now review the role of periodontal disease as a risk factor in these three diseases.)
Conclusion
Cardiovascular disease, the first at-risk complication, is associated with inflammation caused
by the bacteria. The second risk, respiratory disease, is thought to be due to the interactions
between periodontal and respiratory pathogens. And third, the risk of birth complications
with maternal periodontal disease may also have a mechanism based on inflammation.All of
these risk factors seem to affect different parts of the body. However, it’s clear that they are
all linked perhaps to a combination of lifestyle factors, but definitely to the role of
periodontal bacteria. In light of this research, especially, we can all recognize the importance
of oral health in our overall health. Although it would take decades to feel the impact of this
disease, it’s easy to have a head start in combating the problem with something as simple as
flossing.
2