What to Know About The MTHFR Mutation and Dental Health

If you thought MTHFR sounded like an abbreviation for a bad word, you might be correct (at least according to people who deal with the MTHFR mutation). Mutations in this gene affect a large number of people and can result in a wide range of health issues, some of which are related to oral health.

Undiagnosed MTHFR mutations can cause gum disease, tooth decay, heart problems, mood disorders, chronic pain, all-over inflammation, and miscarriages.

If you have MTHFR-related symptoms, you must be tested for this mutation.

What is the MTHFR gene?

MTHFR is an abbreviation for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. This gene is in charge of processing amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Mutations in this gene can sometimes result in impaired function or complete inactivation of the protein for which it codes. What happens when the MTHFR gene is mutated?

Mutations in the MTHFR gene's DNA sequence affect its function, limiting its ability to process the amino acid homocysteine. Homocysteine, in turn, affects our bodies' ability to convert vitamin B12 and folate (methylcobalamin and methyl folate) into forms that our bodies can use.

This is problematic because the body requires methylcobalamin and methyl folate to produce the compound glutathione. Glutathione is a major antioxidant produced by your body to combat oxidative stress and lower your risk of chronic disease. It's one of the few antioxidants that your body produces rather than consuming.

MTHFR + Detoxification

Your body’s built-in detoxifier system (primarily the liver, but other organs, too) works great for most people. This is because our bodies are very skilled at clearing the bloodstream of chemicals and heavy metals that we’re exposed to on a daily basis.

Because mutations in the MTHFR gene disrupt the body’s ability to process vitamin B12 and folate (vitamin B9), they  impair one or more of your “nutritional pathways.” Put simply that means they stop some of the nutrition you consume from being used the way it normally would be.

People with MTHFR mutations won’t produce optimal glutathione. That’s because B12 and folate are considered “methylation nutrients,” which are some of the most necessary to produce glutathione. Without glutathione, your natural detoxification process is severely limited.

MTHFR and Your Oral Health 

So, what's the connection between the MTHFR mutation and tooth decay? The metabolism of homocysteine is important in the processing of folate, and folate is required for proper midline development. Midline defects can occur as early as birth if your body is unable to convert folate into a usable form.

While there are no studies that show a link between MTHFR and these midline defects, there are studies that show elevated homocysteine levels are linked to cavities.

This can also influence the type of dental work you have. For example, some dentists and doctors advise people with MTHFR mutations to have their amalgam fillings removed. Dental amalgam is a metal amalgam composed of liquid mercury and a powdered silver, tin, and copper alloy.

We already know how quickly the body can detox heavy metals and chemicals with each mutation. This detox rate in healthy patients should be far greater than the mercury exposure from an amalgam dental filling.

What to Do If You Have the MTHFR Mutation

Consult your doctor if you believe you have MTHFR deficiency symptoms.

MTHFRdoctors.com has a directory of over 600 MTHFR doctors across the United States. Dr. Ben Lynch's website also contains an excellent resource list.

The NIH Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) lists current genetic tests for the MTHFR gene and homocysteinemia caused by MTHFR deficiency. More information can be found here and here.

Biochemical, genetic tests that assess the level of activity of the MTHFR enzyme or the level of an analyte in the blood may also be used. GTR provides a list of biochemical tests that assess homocysteine analytes and MTHFR enzyme activity.

If you are diagnosed with an MTHFR gene variant that has a negative impact on your health, you do not require medical treatsome dietary and lifestyle changes that can help reduce your risk of complications from MTHFR deficiency.

Consult a functional dentist about removing amalgam fillings because it's unclear whether the decreased ability to detox heavy metals and chemicals affects mercury bioaccumulation. Here's a list of places to look for a good dentist.