How the tiny microbes in your mouth could be putting your health at risk
1 min read
Summary
This article, based on an interview with Kathryn Kauffman of the University of Buffalo, discusses the importance of the oral microbiome and its link to diseases of the body and brain.
Oral microbes can affect the rest of the body in several ways.
One is through the swallowing of saliva, which can allow them to lodge in the heart and other parts of the body and produce a systemic inflammation.
Another is through the bloodstream, where they can hide in white blood cells and reach the rest of the body that way.
Several types of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, have been linked to specific oral microbes.
Looking after your teeth and oral health is thus vital for overall health.