It may seem surprising, and yet! According to a new study from Virginia Commonwealth University (in the United States), regularly visiting his Dentiste would drastically reduce the risk of contracting a pneumonia…
Pneumonia is not a trivial disease, especially in children: each year, this acute respiratory infection (which particularly affects the lungs) kills 1 million children under the age of 5 worldwide – or 1 victim every year. 20 seconds. In France, 500,000 people suffer from pneumonia each year: 16,000 die from it. It is the second leading cause of nosocomial infection behind urinary tract infections.
Researchers in the United States studied the medical data of 26,246 people and found that people who regularly underwent a dental check-up had an approximately 86% lower risk of developing pneumonia during their lifetime.
One appointment per year is the minimum
A surprising link that can be explained quite easily, according to Dr. Michelle Doll, who led this work: “our body is covered with microbes (bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.). Some are good for you, some are not. Sometimes bacteria can be accidentally inhaled and land in the lungs: this can lead to respiratory infections. Pneumonia is usually caused by streptococcus, Haemophilus influenzae, staphylococcus, or other anaerobic bacteria. “
However, going to the dentist regularly reduces the number of “bad bacteria” present in the mouth … and therefore lowers the risk of developing pneumonia. CQFD!
The right frequency? At least one appointment every 12 months. “We must not forget that, in the body, everything is interconnected: oral health is closely linked to respiratory health and cardiovascular health,” says Dr. Doll. In short, take care of your teeth, it’s important!
To read :
Unusual: fear of the dentist is hereditary
Damning report of the Court of Auditors against dentists
