The mouth can act as a gateway to overall health, according to experts (Image: Getty)
Brushing your teeth properly may help stave off more than 50 conditions, including dementia, Parkinson’s and rheumatoid arthritis, according to experts. A panel at a major science conference presented mounting evidence that the spread of inflammation and infection caused by mouth bacteria is linked to problems throughout the body.
Researchers are only beginning to understand this relationship, they said, but it is now clear that oral health can influence organs and tissues, including the joints, brain and guts. Alpdogan Kantarci, a professor of dentistry at the University of Minnesota, USA, said: “We now think that maintaining your teeth in health may be associated with a reduced risk of more than 50 systemic conditions. »
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Prof Kantarci said periodontitis — advanced gum disease — does not necessarily directly cause neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia.
However, it may produce common risk factors and accelerate disease in people who were already susceptible.
He added: “Research is now showing that in people with mild or moderate diseases, those who are brushing and taking care of their teeth or seeing a dentist and having advanced cleanings, are showing much better cognitive responses.”
Prof Kantarci highlighted studies in mice which found periodontitis can increase brain inflammation, and that pathogenic oral bacteria can cross the blood-brain barrier, particularly in older mice.
Research has also shown that white blood cells called neutrophils can act like a Trojan horse to carry bacteria around the body while evading the immune system.
Meanwhile, Dr Felipe Andrade, an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins, presented evidence that pathogens responsible for gum disease also play a role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis.
And Dr Nobuhiko Kamada, from the University of Michigan’s department of internal medicine, described how oral bacteria can influence the gut microbiome, potentially increasing the risk of inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer.
Prof Kantarci warned that sugary and ultra-processed diets were fuelling a sharp rise in tooth decay and gum disease.
He told reporters: “Unfortunately the UK is not so much different than a third world country in terms of oral care.
“We think that the Western world has better access to oral care but you would be surprised that all of the processed food, the soft diet, lack of exercise, obesity, and so on are really predisposing us much more so than anywhere in the world. The UK is top of the list for obesity, for instance.”
The prevalence of obvious tooth decay fell from 46% to 28% between 1998 and 2009, according to the Oral Health Survey for England.
However, the trend has now reversed — the most recent 2023 survey found 41% of adults with natural teeth had obvious tooth decay.
Some 93% of people had at least one sign of periodontal disease, such as inflammation, tartar build-up or “pocketing” between teeth and gums.
The proliferation of food delivery services and processed foods has fuelled a shift away from natural eating and home cooking, Prof Kantarci said.
He added: “This is affecting people’s teeth, their oral health. So it’s not a surprise that people are getting these diseases more in developed countries.
“The answer is very clear, that we have to improve oral health awareness for systemic health.”
The dentist and gum surgeon is part of a taskforce working to calculate the economic and social benefits of improving people’s oral health.
He urged health services and academics around the world to help raise awareness that good dental habits are vital not only for preventing cavities, but for reducing risk of many of the most feared conditions of old age.
The panel also called for international collaboration to better understand the relationship between different body systems.
Prof Kantarci advised people to brush their teeth two to three times a day, particularly after eating sticky or sugary foods. Those who can only brush once should do so before bed, he added.
For older people who may lack dexterity, he recommended “using electric or motorised toothbrushes. They can also be used for cleaning the tongue, which is a very good source of bacteria.”
The discussion was held at the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
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