Oral Health May Be the Next Big Thing in Longevity
Gut health has been a hot topic for a while, but now people are turning their attention to another part of the body: the mouth. More and more research is showing that keeping your mouth clean might help reduce the risk of serious, long-term health problems.
It’s already well known that maintaining a healthy gut can improve how long and how well you live. But there's a growing interest in the group of tiny organisms living in the mouth — known as the oral microbiome — and how they might be just as important for overall health.
For years, scientists have known that people who suffer from gum disease, tooth decay, or have lost teeth are more likely to have strokes or develop chronic illnesses. These include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease.
People who live to be 100 or older often have more of their natural teeth than people who don’t live as long. While the exact reasons aren’t entirely clear, the connection seems real. Losing teeth doesn’t just affect chewing — it also impacts how we feel about ourselves and how we interact socially. If someone feels embarrassed about their smile, they may avoid others. And if chewing is hard, it can be difficult to eat healthy foods like nuts, vegetables, or lean proteins.
Now, more studies are suggesting that the microbes in the mouth may play a bigger role in our overall health than previously thought.
The Mouth and Microbes
Just like the gut, the mouth contains a mix of helpful and harmful bacteria. But there’s a key difference: while a healthy gut has a wide variety of microbes, a healthy mouth actually has fewer. A clean mouth is better at preventing harmful bacteria from growing and spreading.
Brushing and flossing reset the mouth’s environment and stop bad bacteria from forming strong colonies. One expert compared the mouth to a barren landscape after a volcanic eruption. When you clean your mouth well, it’s like starting with a clean slate. Over time, if you don’t brush and floss, the bacteria begin to grow like plants after a volcano — first simple ones, then more complex ones. Eventually, the bacteria build up into a sort of “rainforest” that can cause damage.
The more advanced types of microbes can lead to gum disease, which breaks down the protective barrier between the gums and the bloodstream. That’s why bleeding gums are a warning sign. Once harmful bacteria make it into the blood, they can travel to other parts of the body and may trigger inflammation or disease.
In fact, bacteria from gum disease have been discovered in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, in tumors in colon cancer patients, and even in heart tissue from people with heart disease.
It’s still not entirely clear whether these bacteria directly cause these illnesses or if they simply make the body more vulnerable. But the link between poor oral health and other diseases is strong and becoming harder to ignore.
Oral Health Is Gaining Attention
The idea that oral hygiene could help prevent disease and increase longevity is starting to spread. Some wellness-focused individuals have begun sharing multi-step oral health routines that include things like tongue scraping and using essential oils to reduce disease risk.
The oral care market is also growing fast. New products are being developed to support the oral microbiome, such as prebiotic toothpaste made to match the specific bacteria in a person’s mouth. In just one year, sales of oral care products in the U.S. grew by over 6%, from $10.8 billion to $12.2 billion. Companies are likely hoping for a boom similar to what happened with the digestive health industry, which has seen massive growth in recent years.
Flossing and Brushing: Still the Gold Standard
Experts agree that the basics still matter most: brushing thoroughly at least once a day — preferably twice — and flossing daily.
Flossing is crucial because toothbrushes can’t clean between the teeth and under the gums, where disease often starts. Flossing helps prevent tooth loss and reduces the risk of gum disease.
Some professionals recommend keeping it simple with regular string floss, though water flossers are becoming more popular and might be effective too.
Research supports these habits. One study found that flossing weekly may reduce the risk of ischemic stroke by over 20%. A larger review also found a frequent connection between gum disease and heart disease.
Even people who once didn’t think flossing mattered have changed their minds after seeing how serious gum disease can get. After seeing graphic images of advanced dental disease, some professionals decided to make daily flossing a permanent part of their routine.
Conclusion
Oral health is more than just fresh breath and a nice smile — it might be one of the keys to living a longer, healthier life. Keeping the mouth clean could help protect the entire body by reducing harmful bacteria and lowering inflammation, which is known to play a role in many serious diseases. While there’s still more to learn, the connection between a clean mouth and overall well-being is becoming clearer every day.
Take care and schedule your check up now by calling 703-241-7777 for an appointment.