[dropcap]B leeding and/or swollen gums is an inflammatory disorder characterized by changes in gum integrity that may result in tooth loss.
Sponginess of the gum (swelling) indicates inflammation, called gingivitis.
Q: What causes gingivitis?
A: Gingivitis that is caused by inadequate dental hygiene shows as pockets of swollen gum between or along the base of teeth where sticky plaque was allowed to build up. Plaque holds bacteria that inflames the gums where it occurs.
Gingivitis that is caused by vitamin C deficiency, pregnancy, certain drugs such as the anti-epileptic drug phenytoin, and leukemia affects the whole gum irrespective of mouth care.
What Are Bleeding / Swollen Gums In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]norexia or loss of appetite is a reduced desire to eat which can cause unintentional weight loss.
Anorexia is a feature of many disorders caused by malutrition such as celiac disease and aging or gastrointestinal problems such as chronic gastroenteritis, and dysgeusia (loss of taste).
Q: Are there other conditions that cause anorexia?
A: Other underlying problem include medication side effects, infection, chronic pain, depression, grief, dehydration, hormonal dysfunction such as thyroid disease, primary hyperparathyroidism, or Addison’s disease, autoimmune mechanisms such as sarcoidosis, and cancer growth.
What Is Anorexia In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]phthous ulcers, also called canker sores, are a chronic disorder of soft mouth tissue characterized by small, painful purpuric, papular, or erosive lesions that are often surrounded by erythematous (red) margins.1
Q: What soft mouth tissues develop canker sores?
A: Canker sores can erupt on the mucosal surface of the inside lip, sides of mouth, under the tongue and along the side of the tongue. When they are forming, the area swells into a papule, or small bump. Later, the surface erodes and a crater forms with firm pus.
What Are Aphthous Ulcers In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?
Sources:
Lahteenoja H, Toivanen A, Viander M, Maki M, Irjala K, Raiha I, Syrjanen S. Oral mucosal changes in coeliac patients on a gluten-free diet. European Journal of Oral Sciences. Oct 1998;106(5):899,8p. [↩]
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]heilosis is a painful feature of nutritional deficiencies, especially riboflavin and/or pyridoxine deficiency, and less frequently, from vitamin B12, folic acid, and iron. It is characterized by redness of the lips with cracking and weeping in the corner of the mouth.
Q: What is the consequence of weeping at the corners of the mouth?
A: The open sores that develop at the corners of the mouth invite infection by candida albicans, a yeast organism, and less commonly by bacteria normally present on the skin such as staphylococcus aureus.
These sores make opening the mouth very painful and so restrict eating, talking, socializing, and dental care.
What Is Cheilosis In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?
A real photomicrograph of carcinoma of the esophagus. Panorama of 6 photos of a slide at 40x through the microscope. Some areas may appear blurry due to shallow DOF.
What Is Cancer Of The Esophagus?
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]ancer of the esophagus is a malignancy arising in the stratified squamous cell lining of any part of the esophagus and having a poor prognosis.
This tumor first invades the deeper layers of the esophagus which includes the layer beneath the mucosa (submucosa) and muscle before it may invade structures close to it including the aorta and trachea. Later, it may spread to organs further away such as the liver, lungs and bones.
Q: What is the stratified squamous cell lining of the esophagus?
A: Stratified squamous cells are flat epithelial cells that are composed of several layers, called the epithelium. This type of epithelium forms the surface mucosa that lines the inside of the esophagus.
The esophagus itself is a muscular tube that transports swallowed substances to the stomach. It begins at the cricoid cartilage (Adam’s apple) as a continuation of the pharynx in the throat and ends at the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).
The LES is a circular muscle surrounding the junction of the esophagus and stomach. The LES opens to allow swallowed food and liquids to enter the stomach and closes to prevent their travelling back into the esophagus.
Who is Affected in the General Population?
Esophageal cancer is the fifth leading cause of death in men from cancer worldwide.1
What Is Cancer Of The Esophagus In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?
Sources:
Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ. Sleisenger & Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. ed 9. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2010. pp. 745–767. [↩]
[dropcap]E[/dropcap]sophageal small cell carcinoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy arising in the esophagus with a poor prognosis.
Q: Where does the cancer occur in the esophagus?
A: Esophageal cancer can occur anywhere in the esophagus.
The esophagus is a muscular tube that transports swallowed substances to the stomach. It begins at the cricoid cartilage (Adam’s apple) as a continuation of the pharynx and ends at the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).
The LES is a circular muscle surrounding the junction of the esophagus and stomach. The LES opens to allow swallowed food and liquids to enter the stomach and closes to prevent their travelling back into the esophagus.
Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) occurs when the inside diameter of the esophagus constricts to less than 14 millimeters. First there is difficulty swallowing solid food then liquids and saliva due to progressive growth of the cancer.
What Is Esophageal Small Cell Carcinoma In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?
Prolactin Structure. Courtesy Boris TM at Wikipedia.
What Is Hyperprolactinemia?
[dropcap]H[/dropcap]yperprolactinemia is an excess secretion of prolactin hormone causing an elevated blood level that is characterized by its effects on reproduction: in females causing amenorrhea and in males causing reduced sexual potency.
Q: What is prolactin?
A: Prolactin is a hormone produced by the the anterior pituitary gland that is transported by the bloodstream to stimulate androgen hormone production in male and estrogen hormone production in female sex glands. However, too much prolactin inhibits hormone production of estrogen in women and testosterone in men.
In pregnant females upon delivery of a baby, prolactin stimulates breast development and milk production for the purpose of feeding the infant. Sucking by the infant stimulates the release of prolactin which keeps the milk supply adequate.
Prolactin also promotes autoimmune mechanisms. Prolactin interferes specifically with B cell tolerance induction, enhances proliferative response to antigens and mitogens and increases the production of immune globulins, cytokines and autoantibodies.1
Other conditions that can stimulate prolactin release include nutritional deficiencies, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) produced by the pituitary gland, stress, exercise, and anterior pituitary tumors.
What Is An Elevated Prolactin Level In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?
Sources:
Shelly S, Boaz M, Orbach H. Prolactin and autoimmunity. Autoimmun Rev. 2012 May;11(6-7):A465-70. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2011.11.009. [↩]
![Aphthous_ulcer[1]](https://glutenfreeworks.com/health/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/Aphthous_ulcer1.jpg)
