Sex and endocarditis
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pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
Hi
Please give me the microbiological overview of how sex introduces large numbers of pathogenic bacertia into your blood stream? My question indicates "I really can't see how" as my position. Unless your version of sex is quite different to mine.
Dentists visits and poor oral hygiene on the other hand are likely culprits.
Hmm, on reflection perhaps vigorous anal intercourse with lots of bleeding may do it. But that falls into the "differs" category for me. ;-)
Please give me the microbiological overview of how sex introduces large numbers of pathogenic bacertia into your blood stream? My question indicates "I really can't see how" as my position. Unless your version of sex is quite different to mine.
Dentists visits and poor oral hygiene on the other hand are likely culprits.
Hmm, on reflection perhaps vigorous anal intercourse with lots of bleeding may do it. But that falls into the "differs" category for me. ;-)
Last edited:
pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
Hi
there is a common basic misunderstanding that putting something into one of your "holes" puts it inside your body. It does not. Stuff put into your mouth, ears, nose, mouth / anus, even the urethra does not "enter" your body, it remains outside of it.
All epithelium is specifically designed as a barrier, a barrier to living things getting "inside" which no multicellular organism wants.
So even your gums do not really "transfer" bacteria, but its the points of physical damage that allow direct access to the blood stream which do. If you have "sensitive" inflamed gums its most likely down to infections working away on the surface. Its when there is damage to the (thus thin) surface and exposes the blood vessels (you may not even observe bleeding) that gives infections a chance to get in.
So anything going up your urethra would be faced with the same situation.
Of course there are bacteria which do that (go up your urethra) and specialise in surviving there ... I'm sure there are ones which do no harm (part of your bodies flora) but of course there are pathogens which do harm, cause irritation and inflamation. Gonorrhea and Syphilis being two well known ones.
I would expect very strongly that for you to develop an endocarditis issue from one of those fellas you'll have to have chronic symptoms of the classic type first.
While there are a number of bacteria that cause endocarditis they are not usually ones associated with STD's.
The survival in each area (urethra and blood stream) are different, so its usually stuff like Streptococcus which passes through gums (during massive irritation such as dental cleaning) in large enough quantities to then make it to the heart and find a spot to setup home, live and grow and cause endocarditis (before the body kills them).
This is of course why we take antibiotics as a prophylactic before the cleaning, to ensure that the stuff stops them from growing.
While on that point I'll mention that antibiotics do not kill bacteria, they stop them from growing by inhibition of a specific component of their metabolism. This essentially "holds their coat behind their back" to that our immune system can lay into them.
there is a common basic misunderstanding that putting something into one of your "holes" puts it inside your body. It does not. Stuff put into your mouth, ears, nose, mouth / anus, even the urethra does not "enter" your body, it remains outside of it.
All epithelium is specifically designed as a barrier, a barrier to living things getting "inside" which no multicellular organism wants.
So even your gums do not really "transfer" bacteria, but its the points of physical damage that allow direct access to the blood stream which do. If you have "sensitive" inflamed gums its most likely down to infections working away on the surface. Its when there is damage to the (thus thin) surface and exposes the blood vessels (you may not even observe bleeding) that gives infections a chance to get in.
So anything going up your urethra would be faced with the same situation.
Of course there are bacteria which do that (go up your urethra) and specialise in surviving there ... I'm sure there are ones which do no harm (part of your bodies flora) but of course there are pathogens which do harm, cause irritation and inflamation. Gonorrhea and Syphilis being two well known ones.
I would expect very strongly that for you to develop an endocarditis issue from one of those fellas you'll have to have chronic symptoms of the classic type first.
While there are a number of bacteria that cause endocarditis they are not usually ones associated with STD's.
The survival in each area (urethra and blood stream) are different, so its usually stuff like Streptococcus which passes through gums (during massive irritation such as dental cleaning) in large enough quantities to then make it to the heart and find a spot to setup home, live and grow and cause endocarditis (before the body kills them).
This is of course why we take antibiotics as a prophylactic before the cleaning, to ensure that the stuff stops them from growing.
While on that point I'll mention that antibiotics do not kill bacteria, they stop them from growing by inhibition of a specific component of their metabolism. This essentially "holds their coat behind their back" to that our immune system can lay into them.
cldlhd
Well-known member
I just had to click on this thread and I'm still not sure if I'm glad I did....
harrietW
Attitude of Gratitude
Hahahaha hahahaha! I'm with you on that one cldlhd
I think l just learned what not to do lol !!!
Pallicle you are a wealth of knowledge.
Than you !
I think l just learned what not to do lol !!!
Pallicle you are a wealth of knowledge.
Than you !
I'm just now sure how I would have tried to answer this one! Pellicle has covered both approaches - humor and logic/fact. I'm not sure which one I enjoyed more. . .
Seriously, as a valver with a pacemaker, I worry about endocarditis any time I am considering any invasive medical procedure. Daily life events . . . I don't worry so much.
Seriously, as a valver with a pacemaker, I worry about endocarditis any time I am considering any invasive medical procedure. Daily life events . . . I don't worry so much.
pellicle;n860848 said:
I discussed this with my dentist the other day as I had a filling and first dental cleaning post surgery. He mentioned the importance of keeping the gum epithelium in good shape, for the reasons you mentioned. if it's not intact, there is the risk of 'splashes' of bacteria getting in as he put it. He recommended limiting sexual partners and exposure to foreign bacteria and/or potential viruses. It makes sense to me.
honeybunny
Well-known member
One of the best investments I made for dental care was an in-shower water pik similar to this one, http://www.amazon.com/ShowerBreeze-...TF8&qid=1450113927&sr=1-20&keywords=water+pik. It's so convenient to use when I'm showering, much easier than a stand alone unit that you need to refill each time you use it. I just toggle the valve and I'm good to go. Using this greatly improved my periodontal disease, reducing some pockets from 4s to 1s.
Good grief!
For a moment, I thought dear old Ross was back. . .
For a moment, I thought dear old Ross was back. . .
Jkm7
Well-known member
How do you install that water pik thing?
Looks like it could be a handy addition to my shower.
Looks like it could be a handy addition to my shower.
Jkm7
Well-known member
How do you install that water pik thing?
Looks like it could be a handy addition to my shower.
Looks like it could be a handy addition to my shower.
Jkm7
Well-known member
Oops, I'm so sorry.
I don't know how all those duplicates posted and don't know how to remove them.
I don't know how all those duplicates posted and don't know how to remove them.
