Oral hygiene

It’s normal to have bacteria in your mouth. But harmful bacteria have been linked to a host of health problems. Medical scientist Glenda Davison and microbiologist Yvonne Prince, who have researched the oral cavity, explain why it’s so important to practise good oral hygiene.

Can poor oral hygiene lead to serious diseases? Why and how?

• Abnormal bacterial communities in the oral cavity have been linked to liver disease, renal failure, cancers, heart disease and hypertension.
• The oral cavity is the door to the gastrointestinal tract and the rest of the body.
• This can lead to bleeding gums and oral diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis.

How do problems in the mouth lead to other illnesses?

• This disruption in the oral biota causes inflammation and the slow development of periodontitis, bleeding gums and tooth decay.
• As the gum disease destroys the gum and begins to erode the bone, inflammatory molecules called cytokines can enter the blood stream.
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Where do bacteria in the body come from?

• There are 39 trillion microbes in the human body, outnumbering the estimated 30 trillion human cells, and they inhabit almost every organ and crevice in the human body.
• They can be found in the gut, skin, lung, seminal and vaginal fluid, eyes, scalp and mouth.
• Most of these microbes come from our mothers and enter our bodies when we are born.

What should people do to avoid these risks?

• To further support the balance of the bacteria in the mouth it is recommended that foods rich in antioxidants, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, are included in our diet.
• Dentists also recommend avoiding the use of antibacterial mouth washes, which have been shown to disrupt the balance of microbes.
• Elevated levels of stress and lack of exercise have also been linked to disruptions in the balance of the oral biota.