When I was young, I used to hear this everyday with a goodnight kiss. I often got frustrated by the constant reminder, but with my mum's eyes on me, I couldn't avoid dragging my sleepy body to the bathroom to brush my teeth thoroughly. I'm sure almost every kid feels this way because teeth aren't the immediate indicator of serious illness, and problems such as cavity are just small hindrance to chewing and eating something at most. However, a recent journal published in the Harvard Heart Letter tells us that this can lead to lethal results. We all know that countless bacteria directly influence the health of teeth and gums. But could these oral bacteria possibly affect parts of the body other than mouth like cardiovascular system as well? Scientists have proven that oral bacteria is one of the contributors to heart diseases. Periodontitis patients, who suffer from an erosion of tissue and bone that support the teeth, release bacteria into the bloodstream just by chewing and eating. These bacteria have been found in the atherosclerotic plaque in arteries in the heart and, which may lead to heart attack someday.
Blood clotting is another harm done by oral bacteria. These microbes release toxins that imitate proteins found in artery walls and cause the immune system to respond to these toxic substances and make blood clot more easily, which may possibly result in heart attack and stroke.This study has not been concluded yet as the mechanisms by which these two factors are related; however, taking a good care of one's teeth is unquestionably beneficial as it prevents not only oral diseases, but also other problems in different parts of the body. I hope I can probe more deeply into this issue to inform people about how dental health plays a much bigger role in one's overall health than we think. When I become a dentist one day, I am willing to provide basic prevention method and care for those who overlook the potential harm of dental problems before all those oral bacteria creep into other parts of the body.
