Dental care

Brushing your teeth daily in the morning and evening helps keep your smile bright and fresh and supports your body in fighting aging.

Poor dental care can provoke chronic inflammation - one of the main aging drivers. Poor dental care creates a positive environment for oral bacteria to emerge. Among other health issues, oral bacteria cause chronic gum disease. The body's defense system releases inflammatory molecules as soon as the oral bacterias appear. These inflammatory molecules act as a signal for the immune system to fight foreign organisms.

This constant use of energy to maintain optimal oral health fosters aging. It's crucial to take appropriate care of your teeth, as this enhances longevity and bolsters the body's defense mechanisms in combating 'inflammaging', the chronic, low-grade inflammation associated with age-related diseases. 

The teeth should be brushed twice a day using toothpaste that contains fluoride. Ideally, dental floss and interdental brushes should be used too.

Impact

Epidemiologists noticed that people with bad teeth and gum problems have more heart-related diseases than other groups. One study showed that people who brushed their teeth twice a day were less likely to get strokes than those who did it only once a day. Respectively, those who took care of their oral health once a day was less exposed to various health issues than those who did not brush their teeth. 

Early appearance of oral bacteria is not easily detectible even by the dentist, yet it could still influence the risk of diabetes and life length.

It is assumed that dental diseases are caused by amyloid plaque bacteria This bacteria is also associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

de Oliveira, C., Watt, R., & Hamer, M. (2010). Toothbrushing, inflammation, and risk of cardiovascular disease: results from Scottish Health Survey. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 340, c2451. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c2451

Chiu, C. J., Chang, M. L., & Taylor, A. (2016). Associations between Periodontal Microbiota and Death Rates. Scientific reports, 6, 35428. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep35428