Having a clean, bright smile gives us confidence and success when communicating with those around us. So we all brush our teeth twice a day, floss religiously and have our teeth regularly checked and cleaned by a professional. Or do we? According to the British Dental Health Foundation, a quarter of adults don't brush their teeth the recommended twice a day, and the same amount says they have not visited a dentist in the past two years. The latter is not because they have no issues: no less than three in every 10 adults suffer from regular dental pain, they admit. While no such studies have been carried out in the Kingdom, chances are the numbers here aren't much more upbeat. And that is bad news – not only for our teeth but for our overall health as well, as studies increasingly link bad oral health to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, pneumonia, osteoporosis, dementia, kidney problems and a whole array of other illnesses. Also called the “mouth-body connection”, this link between oral health and other diseases is not entirely new: Hippocrates wrote about a case of arthritis that was cured after the patient's tooth was pulled. However, the past decade has seen a leap in the number of studies linking the two. The theory that bad oral health causes other diseases in the body seems increasinly plausible: Inflammation is a common problem in both dental health and heart health. Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the artheries, for instance, has a strong component of inflammation, as has gum disease. Gingivitis is nothing more than an inflammation of the gums caused by bacteria. There are several other ways inflammation in the mouth may cause various diseases in the body. The strongest connection can be seen between diabetes type 2 and periodontitis, a severe gum disease in which inflammation and the chemicals it releases eat away at the gum and bone structure that hold the teeth in place. The inflammation that starts in the mouth may weaken the body's ability to control blood sugar, and this could result in diabetes 2. Simultaneously, patients with diabetes 2 have trouble processing sugar because of a lack of insulin. Thus, enters a vicious cycle between periodontitis and diabetes. On the bright side, there is also some evidence that periodontal therapy among people with diabetis 2 results in decreased blood-sugar levels, hence better control of the disease. The theory that poor dental hygiene leads to heart disease is less understood, although again the theory goes that inflammation in the mouth causes inflammation in the blood vessels. Inflamed blood vessels allow less blood to travel from the heart to the rest of the body, resulting in a higher blood pressure. This, in turn, may also increase the risk that fatty plaque on the vessels will break off the wall and travel to the heart or the brain, causing a heart attack or stroke. To take things even further, dental health may not only affect your own health: Researchers are looking at the relation between gum disease among pregnant women and premature babies or babies born with low birth weight. Although much remains unclear, it is believed that infection and inflammation in the mother's body interfere with a fetus' development in the womb. Not all scientists, however, support the theory of cause and effect. The link between dental health and diabetes, heart disease, and overal health could easily result from people's lifestyle. In other words, people with good oral hygiene practices may also exercise more regularly. On the other hand, people who eat a lot of sweets and suffer from obesity may develop tooth decay as well as diabetes type 2. In any case, it may be worth spending five to 10 minutes a day taking care of your teeth, and not just to feel more confident in social situations. The assortment of products, however, can be quite overwhelming. Do we really need that electric toothbrush, floss, mouthwater, toothpick and 10 dollar toothpaste after every morsel we put in our mouth? While many of the dental hygiene products on the market may be there for commercial reasons, dentists do recommend brushing twice a day for a minimum of two minutes each and preferably using a power toothbrush with a rotating oscillating action. As for the toothpaste, this should contain 1,500 ppm fluoride and an antibacterial agent called triclosan. In addition, it is advised to floss once a day and go for regular dental cleaning and check-ups, not only to keep smiling confidently but to protect yourself from all kinds of ailments too.
