Does Your Oral Health Affect Your Hairline?

There are many things that have been linked to having healthy hair, including diet, exercise, caffeine intake, not smoking, reducing stress, getting enough sleep, avoiding excessive heat and harsh chemicals and choosing gentle hair care products. The latest thing that has been linked to healthy hair is your oral health.

New research is suggesting that you may be able to fight hair loss just by having a good and regular oral care routine. That’s right; new research shows that you may be able to fight losing your hair just by brushing your teeth on a regular basis.

There has been new research conducted by the US National Institute of Health in Maryland and they carried out a study in which it was found that dental cavities are caused by mutations in keratin, which is a protein that is a main structural constituent of hair. Since keratin is a structural protein, it is essential and is a building block for making the outer layer of the skin and is an essential structural component of our hair.

Dr. Oliver Duverger led this study and the research that was conducted found a link between the keratin mutations in the enamel in your teeth that causes cavities to have a similar ‘abnormal structure’ to those that cause hair to become weak. In other words, Dr. Duverger’s research found that the breakdown that is found in your hair and tooth decay is caused by the same mutations in the keratin proteins.

The Daily Express featured an article in which Dr. Duverger said, “Functional analyses revealed that mutations in hair keratins result in altered enamel structure and reduced enamel micro-hardness.”

So how exactly does this happen? The hair shaft on human hair is mainly comprised of keratin protein, which is also what is found in tooth enamel. The study that Dr. Duverger conducted studied both humans and mice and he first was looking at the presence and function of a specific set of hair keratins that are in the enamel. His research showed that the keratins were missing the ‘DLX3 chemical,’ which is in charge of regulating the way the protein is synthesized and modified in the body.

The research that was conducted also made a connection between the epithelium keratin that is in hair with the same that is in tooth enamel. What this means is that the keratins that are in our hair are also essential building components of enamel in our teeth. If you are suffering from a keratin mutation that is causing tooth decay, it can also cause you to have hair weakness, and eventually, hair loss.

If you have good oral hygiene, you may just postpone or prevent hair loss for a little longer. It is important that you are brushing your teeth and flossing every day. Not only will you have a brighter smile, but you may have better hair too.

If you are experiencing some thinning hair or balding you would like to learn more about scalp micropigmentation, you can contact the experienced hair loss physician, Dr. Yates. He will be able to determine what is causing your hair loss and will let you know what your options are for treatment.