Healthy Mouth = Longer Life!

We all like to have fresh breath but now the health of our mouths is turning out to be one of the keys to longevity, and it’s all down to the delicate balance of bacteria there…

BACTERIA AND their relevance to health has been big news for the past couple of years, with a rise in studies looking into the microbiome – that is, the trillions of bacteria and other microbes that live in your intestines. But while most of the studies so far have focused on the gut, new awareness is spreading to other parts of the body, especially the mouth. And the good news is that your mouth microbiome helps keep your whole body healthy.

Inside your mouth there are around 7-10 trillion microbes that set up home in the nooks and crannies. ‘This community of mostly bacteria, but also some fungi and viruses, protects you from deadly viruses and bacteria in the environment. Eradicating this oral ecology would be like destroying a coral reef protecting an island,’ says Dr Gerry Curatola, founder of US-based Rejuvenation Dentistry and author of new book The Mouth-Body Connection (£20.99, Hachette).

‘When healthy, your mouth microbiome acts as a semipermeable membrane, transporting oxygen to your gums and helping minerals from saliva to remineralise your teeth,’ Dr Curatola adds.