Oral Health’s Interaction with Overall Health

Many professionals call oral health a “window to your overall health” (Mayo 2021). Our oral health–the bacteria and ecosystem of our mouths– interacts with and affects many other systems in our body. Over the last few decades, research into the associations between oral and overall health has emphasized the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene. 

There are three leading theories built to explain this relationship between oral and systemic health. The first attributes certain diseases to an increase in oral bacteria traveling to other parts of the body. The second attributes various diseases to toxins produced by oral bacteria. The third concludes that some of the bacteria produced in circumstances of poor oral hygiene decrease the body’s immune response, making existing diseases and inflammation more severe. (Li et al. 2000) 

However, there are over 700 species of bacteria in our mouths, and it is important to note that not all the bacteria are harmful. The “good” bacteria digest food and help maintain a healthy oral environment, while the “bad” bacteria are involved in tooth decay, plaque buildup, and gum disease (Hinsdale Dental 2020). This balance between the helpful and harmful bacteria can shift due to a multitude of reasons including an unhealthy diet and poor oral hygiene. The harmful bacteria become involved with the rest of the body as they enter the bloodstream, lungs, or other areas of the body. Oral health and hygiene have played a role in various illnesses including cardiovascular diseases, strokes, pneumonia, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and HIV. 

Pneumonia is one of the many diseases that our oral health interacts with. Bacteria living in the oral cavity like pneumococcus, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, and anaerobes can cause harm when breathed into the lungs, contributing to aspiration pneumonia (JRS 2009). This link between harmful oral bacteria and pneumonia is especially prevalent in older individuals. In 2020, a study investigated the effect of professional oral care intervention on the distribution of pneumonia bacteria in older individuals receiving professional oral care compared to those without (Chiang et al.). After the oral care treatment, the concentration of the bacteria decreased significantly compared to those without the treatment. The associations found were proposed to be linked to inflammation from periodontal disease, causing systemic and lung inflammation with the bacteria from plaque multiplying and causing infection. However, quality oral hygiene, including frequent tooth brushing and scheduled professional cleanings, is linked to lower pneumonia infection rates as well as hospitalization rates. 

The two-way street between oral and systemic health is exhibited in individuals with diabetes. A majority of people with diabetes have periodontal disease because diabetes increases susceptibility to infections and having periodontal disease via bacteria in the blood is a risk factor for diabetes as well. People with diabetes have a higher chance of having periodontal disease, dry mouth, and fungal infections mainly due to irregular blood glucose levels, also known as hyperglycemia (NIH 2023). A combination of these oral symptoms can indicate a patient’s prediabetes to dentists. A study found that nearly 1 in 5 people with severe gum disease have Type 2 diabetes (American Diabetics Association 2023). The way these diseases connect to people’s oral conditions emphasizes the importance of exploring the interactions and interconnectedness between our body’s systems and maintaining a healthy smile.

Of course, the associations between these diseases and oral health have been studied and tested multiple times; however, direct causalities are still being researched and will continue to become clearer in the future. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that healthy oral hygiene is integral to keeping the body healthy. Like all the other things we do to stay healthy– like eating well, exercising, and sleeping– brushing and flossing is another step we can take because a good oral health is a good overall health.

References

American Diabetics Association, Diabetes and Oral Health. (n.d.). https://diabetes.org/diabetes/keeping-your-mouth-healthy

Chiang, T., Huang, M., Lu, P., Huang, S., & Lin, Y. (2020, May 27). The effect of oral care intervention on pneumonia hospitalization, Staphylococcus aureus distribution, and salivary bacterial concentration in Taiwan nursing home residents: A pilot study - BMC infectious diseases. Retrieved April 28, 2023, from https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-020-05061-z

Hinsdale Dental. (2020, August 10). Good vs. bad bacteria in your mouth. https://www.hinsdaledental.com/blog/bacteria-in-your-mouth-the-good-and-the-bad/

Japanese Respiratory Society (2009). Aspiration pneumonia. Respirology (Carlton, Vic.), 14 Suppl 2, S59–S64. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1843.2009.01578.x 

Li, X., Kolltveit, K. M., Tronstad, L., & Olsen, I. (2000). Systemic diseases caused by oral infection. Clinical microbiology reviews, 13(4), 547–558. https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.13.4.547

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2021, October 28). Oral Health: A window to your overall health. htt ps://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/dental/art-20047475

NIH, Diabetes & oral health. (2023, February). https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/diabetes#:~:text=If%20you%20have%20diabetes%2C%20be,reasons%20to%20visit%20a%20dentist

The Team at Icard & Strein. (2021, September 14). Is there any connection between oral health and overall health, digital image. https://icardandstreinfamilydentistry.com/oral-health-and-overall-health-is-there-really-a-connection/