Our Immune System

To understand the importance of the body's immune system and how it helps us survive and stay healthy, it's important to know exactly what it is and how it works.

In simple terms, it is a combination of biological mechanisms that protect it from diseases by identifying and killing a wide variety of pathogens (infectious agents), tumor cells, and viruses and parasites; and, when functioning properly, this system is able to distinguish between these harmful agents and the body's own healthy cells and tissues.

There are also immune barriers, such as the skin, which is the body's largest barrier by far, and acts as a giant shield against contaminants; and the the mucosal immune barrier, which is found in all the natural openings of the body, including the mouth, nose, rectal and urinary tracts. The mucosal barrier works by entrapping and entangling pathogens in mucosal fluids, where then the body can expel them.

Our immune systems consist of many kinds of enzymes, proteins, organs, and membranes which work together in a complicated and dynamic network to protect us from all types of invading agents. They also adapt, over time, to recognize and fight off specific threats more efficiently. This adaptive process is known as "acquired immunity," which is important for recognizing invaders that the immune system has already encountered and overcome. This is the basis for vaccinations being successful, and is also the reason that once a person has had measles, mumps, or chicken pox, he or she is not likely to have those diseases again.

Any malfunction of this system can result in disease. Immunodeficiency, when immunity is depressed or compromised, may cause recurring and/or life-threatening conditions, and can be the result of improper diet; sleep deprivation; genetic disease; traumatic injuries; surgeries; increased and/or prolonged stress; repeated or prolonged exposure to toxic chemicals, compounds, or radiation; administration of pharmaceuticals including chemotherapy; or an infection such as AIDS caused by the HIV virus.

Hyperactivity can cause problems as well. This condition, known as autoimmunity or autoimmune disease, causes the immune system to attack the body's normal tissues as if they were foreign invaders. This can result in diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Type 1 Diabetes, and Lupus.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon all health practitioners, including dentists, to do everything they can to protect, preserve and promote the integrity of our immunity, and not to engage in any procedures, treatments or practices that may compromise or damage it. The primary barrier dentists should be concerned with is the mouth or oral immune barrier.

Believe it or not, many commonplace, conventional and accepted dental procedures may be damaging this primary immune barrier, and there is evidence to prove it. Read on to find out more about this, and the importance of the body's Oral Immune Defense System.


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