Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping one’s mouth clean and free of dental diseases and bad breath by regular brushing of the teeth and also cleaning between the teeth.
But what if we tell you that keeping your teeth healthy is actually linked to a longer life.
What’s more, brushing your teeth at a certain time is also linked to better longevity, compared to skipping your oral hygiene routine at that time.
So let’s find out what research has revealed on this surprising link between your mouth’s health and how long you’ll live!
About the research
Research published in the Journal of Aging has found that good oral health contributes to longevity. They studied the association of dental health behaviours and the arrangement or condition of the teeth on all-cause mortality in 5,611 older adults from 1992 to 2009 and calculated risk estimates in men and women separately. Variables such as gender, body mass index (BMI), education, smoking status and history of chronic disease of the participants were taken into account before arriving at the conclusions.
What did the researchers find out?
The researchers found that toothbrushing at night before bed was linked to longevity. Further, healthy oral hygiene habits such as using dental floss everyday and visiting the dentist were also associated with longevity. Not seeing a dentist within the last 1 year increased mortality risk by 30–50 percent, compared with seeing a dentist two or more times.
On the other hand, the researchers found that never brushing at night increases mortality risks by 20-35 percent, compared with brushing everyday. Also, never flossing increased mortality risk by 30 percent, in comparison to flossing everyday.
Longevity and number of teeth
With an increasing number of missing teeth, your mortality rate also rises. The researchers found that toothless people had a 30 percent higher risk of death, in comparison to those with 20 plus teeth.
A recent study published in the journal of Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology also showed that maintaining healthy teeth appears to promote survival in older adults.
The study found that those people with 20 teeth or more at the age of 70 had a higher chance of living longer than those people having less than 20 teeth.
Apart from longevity, oral health indicators have been linked to several general health problems like heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, dementia and problems during pregnancy.
How to maintain oral health
To maintain a healthy mouth, experts recommend brushing twice-a-day with a fluoride toothpaste. You should cut down how frequently you consume sugary foods and drinks and gargle or rinse your mouth after every meal. Visiting your dentist regularly to reduce your chances of developing any disease and it will also help to improve your smile. Taking good care of your teeth will not only benefit your oral health but will also positively impact your entire body.
