Good oral health reduces the risk of pneumonia. People who go to the dentist regularly are less exposed than others.
Take care of your teeth to protect your lungs. This is advice that may seem unusual. Uncommon, certainly, but well and truly justified. Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, USA) associate poor dental hygiene with an increased risk of pneumonia. To do this, they followed 26,000 Americans. Those who rarely go to the dentist are more exposed to this pulmonary infection, they explained to the annual congress of the national infectious diseases societies, ID Week.
86% more risk
These 26,000 participants all responded to a survey on health care spending. Among them, 441 suffered from bacterial pneumonia. The strains at the origin of such an infection are, most often, streptococci, staphylococci or even haemophilus. Some of them are naturally present in the mouth. “We cannot completely rid the mouth of bacteria, but good oral hygiene can limit their quantity,” says Michelle Doll.
Regular appointments with the dentist are witness to a special attention to the health of the teeth. In fact, volunteers who did not see this specialist often were 86% more at risk of pneumonia than those who saw him twice a year. And for good reason: this practitioner can intervene on dental or gum infections, and helps limit the development of bacteria in this area.
The association may seem fanciful, but researchers offer an explanation. The bacteria can be accidentally inhaled and end up in the lungs, where they cause infection. Health insurance itself reports it on his site : the germs “can come from the oral cavity or the ENT sphere”.
Bad French habits
In France, it is recommended to go to the dentist on an annual basis. This simple advice is already little respected. According to the French Union for Oral Health (UFSBD), 40% of French people do not visit this health professional regularly. Many abstain for reasons of cost. They are also unaware of the risks associated with bad habits. Only 36% of them believe that the condition of their teeth and gums affects general health.
And yet, the lungs are not the only ones to drink. The cardiovascular system is also affected by a poorly maintained mouth. In question, the bacteria housed in the teeth which promote inflammation. Endocarditis, high blood pressure and plaque buildup in the arteries are common.
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