Bone health plays a crucial part in our overall health. Although bones are stronger than most parts of our body, it also means that their deterioration impacts us the most.
Throughout our lives, our bones go through the process of remodeling to maintain our structure and adjust it according to our weight and age.
Bone remodeling includes (a) initiation/activation, (b) bone resorption and recruitment of MSCs and osteoprogenitors, (c) osteoblast differentiation and function, and (d) mineralization of osteoid.
This occurs in a controlled environment but when it isn’t regulated, our body suffers. This blog will discuss the method of bone resorption and its after-effects on our health.
What Is Bone Resorption?
If brush off our knowledge from school, we might remember learning how important Calcium is for bones. So when the bones lack enough Calcium, they start breaking, which may be called Bone resorption.
In other words, it leads to the absorption of bone minerals with the help of Osteoclast cells to form new bones by Osteoblasts. This will then release Calcium and phosphorus into our blood.
Resorption at a normal rate just helps the body remodel itself. It smoothens the process of adding bones or ossification. Skeletal stability, proper growth, and maintenance are all benefits of this occurrence.
However, when the level is higher things can get tricky. If you think eating too much Calcium would solve all your problems, you could not be more wrong.
Bone resorption also happens when there is an excess amount of Calcium in our bodies. Naturally, it leads to many disorders that will negatively affect our physical activity and in some cases even limit it to none.
Who Can Be Affected By It?
Women who have reached menopausal age or pre-menopausal age are prone to this condition. This occurs due to the lack of Estrogen.
Additionally, anyone who is above the age of 30 can develop higher bone resorption levels since the bone mass density plummets. Studies show that smoking can lead to an increased rate of Resorption.
While men can have a higher rate of bone resorption due to the consumption of sex-related drugs, women also suffer from this due to reduced FSH levels.
Diseases Caused By Bone Resorption
1. Paget’s disease– This disease is characterized by the lack of bone mass density due to the stoppage of bone renewal. Older people can develop this disease as a result of higher bone resorption levels. Some of its symptoms included increased bone pain, arthritis, and irregularities in the bone structure.
2. Osteoporosis-Fairly common among older people, Osteoporosis occurs when there is a structural change in one’s endoskeleton. It is caused by the loss of bone density and is often very painful.
3. Osteolysis-Similar to the ones above, this one too leads to the thinning or weakening of the bony tissue.
4. Hajdu-Cheney syndrome-Although deemed as a genetic condition, Hajdu-Cheney is the absence of healthy bones, teeth, and facial structure. Osteoporosis is a symptom of the disease.
5. Osteopetrosis– This is caused by the malformation of bones which manifests as increased bone density. This makes the patients vulnerable to fractures and breakage.
6. Renal Osteodrophy-Due to prolonged kidney illness, bone health also starts diminishing and thus causes Renal Osteodrophy.
7. Rickets-Another bone disease that is developed due to Vitamin D deficiency.
How Does It Affect Our Dental Health?
Bone resorption commonly hits dental health the most. Not only does it infect the exterior of your teeth but also its interior, usually leading to swollen jaws.
It can have symptoms like a broken jaw, facial pain, and loss of teeth. Periodontal surgery like a root canal or chemical treatment of the jaw can provide relief to the pain.
Also, make sure to brush and floss your teeth regularly.
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Diagnosis
It can be tested in one’s blood or urine. These include Procollagen type I N propeptide (PINP),(CTX) cross-linking telopeptide of type I collagen(Blood test)Bone alkaline phosphatase and (NTX) cross-linking telopeptide of type I collagen (urine test). It is collected first thing in the morning a day after fasting.
To prevent the same, it is important to keep a check on what you eat. Taking regular checkups can also be helpful. If you experience any of the above mentioned symptoms, contact your healthcare provider.