Properly cleaning dentures is important, and not just for a fresh mouth. Like teeth, they collect bacterial plaque and may cause fungal infections. Worse, they build up a sticky biofilm that acts like a magnet for some very dangerous bacteria, in and out of your mouth, that you can breath into your lungs…

By the age of 65, the risk of periodontal disease, a gum infection that erodes soft tissue and bone, leading to tooth loss, is more than 70 percent. But a simple nutrient appears to get to the “root” cause, supporting stem cells in the gums that may hold onto your teeth…

Do you often wake up in a puddle of drool? Is your mouth drier than the Mojave desert in the morning? These are annoying signs of a common issue that can impact your health far more seriously than you ever dreamed. From bad teeth to low oxygen, mouth breathing takes a toll…

Over the years, we’ve learned more about how the health of your mouth can affect your entire body. But oral health risk factors that contribute to stroke prompted research into how caring for your mouth could save your brain from silent damage…

Is your gum health a priority? If not, listen up: a disease of the gums that can lead to bleeding and bad breath, can also leave your heart scarred and struggling to maintain a healthy rhythm…

Decades of research confirms compounds found in red grapes are heart-healthy, good for your skin and may even deter diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Now it appears they may be why a glass of merlot can offer oral health benefits for preventing cavities and gum disease…

Previous research has shown oral rinses can help inactivate coronaviruses like the one that causes COVID-19. But that research was done on the original strain of SARS-CoV-2. Now that there are multiple variants around, can we keep this tool in our arsenal to affect viral load?

Studies show a plant-based gum can reduce the amount of cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth, lower plaque levels, reduce gum inflammation and neutralize mouth odor. That’s probably why chewing it has been a popular dental hygiene practice in Greece for centuries. But its medicinal benefits don’t stop in your mouth…

It’s pretty astonishing that medical professionals still treat the mouth as separate from the rest of the body. Research has already shown how strongly connected it is to other organs, particularly the heart. Now, an underlying factor in gum disease can skyrocket risk for heart failure.

Did you know the immune cells that are generated to fight gum disease often turn up in heart valves and heart muscle? And that’s not the only crazy connection to your dental hygiene. Most recently, it’s been found that your lungs are another target for mouth bacteria…

Every time you eat or drink anything other than water, the pH level in your mouth drops (becomes more acidic). This causes minerals in your tooth enamel to seep out as your body tries to re-establish a balanced pH. Any guesses what happens in the rest of your body?

The mouth can be a gateway for all kinds of viruses, including the one that causes COVID-19. And now, researchers have discovered how keeping your mouth healthy can help defend against these viruses — and how letting your oral health lapse can reduce that protection…