“Treating your mouth means protecting your whole body,” says Professor Fadiga

Third global scourge, just behind cancer and cardiovascular diseases: mouth diseases affect some 3.7 billion people around the world, according to the World Health Organization. Yet they are still reduced to a matter of smiles and cavities.

During the 2nd Scientific Days of Odontology in Guinea, Prof. Mohamed Sid-Dick Fadiga, teacher at the Gamal Abdel Nasser University in Conakry, recalled a much broader reality: “a neglected mouth doesn’t stay in the mouth. It can affect the heart, disrupt diabetes, threaten pregnancy.”

The mouth, an essential link in general well-being

Oral health is defined as the absence of any oral pathology capable of limiting the ability to bite, chew, smile or speak, and therefore affect a person's psychosocial well-being.

“Oral health is not limited to the appearance of the smile or the prevention of cavities, the mouth plays an essential role in several vital functions, such as chewing, swallowing, speaking and even digestion. When a problem occurs at this level, the entire system can be affected”, explains Professor Fadiga.

The numbers show the scale of the problem. According to the WHO, tooth decay affects 60 to 90% of school children and nearly 90% of adults. Periodontal disease affects 15 to 20% of middle-aged adults, around 35 years old.

How does the mouth affect the rest of the body?

Why such weight? Because the mouth is not a separate territory. “The oral cavity is home to billions of bacteria, in a healthy mouth, this flora lives in balance, but as soon as this balance is broken, danger appears”, underlines Professor Fadiga.

These microorganisms can cause inflammation elsewhere in the body. Thus, these untreated infections can become a risk factor for other conditions.

The speaker emphasizes this point: “Poor oral health is not limited to the mouth. Bacteria and dental infections can migrate into the body and aggravate systemic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular, kidney, joint or neurological conditions. »

The mechanism is concrete. An infection in the mouth leads to chronic inflammation. Certain oral bacteria can also pass into the bloodstream, sometimes thanks to too vigorous brushing or poorly carried out care. This phenomenon, bacteremia, can cause complications when these bacteria reach organs such as the heart or lungs. “An unhealthy mouth can quickly become a source of imbalance for the entire body”, adds Pr. Fadiga.

Other links with certain pathologies

The links with major diseases are now documented and Professor Fadiga reviewed them during these 2nd days. On the heart side, inflammation of the gums promotes the passage of bacteria into the blood, which can inflame the vessels and increase the risk of stroke or myocardial infarction.

Endocarditis, cited as an example, illustrates how far an oral focus can reach this organ.

With diabetes, the relationship works both ways. Uncontrolled or poorly controlled diabetes worsens gum disease, and conversely, severe periodontal infection makes blood sugar regulation more difficult.

During pregnancy, untreated oral infections are recognized as an aggravating factor, increasing the risk of premature delivery or low birth weight of the baby. As for the lungs, bacteria from the mouth, once inhaled, increase the risk of pneumonia, particularly in the elderly or those whose defenses are weakened. Finally, mental health is not spared: it interacts with oral health, which, according to the speaker, calls for comprehensive care of the patient.

4 actions to prevent and protect yourself?

Faced with these risks, prevention remains the best weapon. Professor Fadiga insists on this: “Prevention is the best approach to protect both the mouth and general health. Adopting good oral hygiene helps reduce inflammation, prevent infections and maintain a balanced microbiota.”

To do this, he adds, the WHO recommends four daily actions: “Brush your teeth twice a day, for at least two minutes, use a fluoridated toothpaste to strengthen the enamel and prevent cavities, clean between the teeth, with dental floss or a brush, where the brush cannot reach, consult a dentist at least once a year. »

Oral health is much more than a question of aesthetics, it directly influences the functioning of the human body and can prevent, in the long term, many health problems. “Taking care of it is investing in overall well-being”, concludes Professor Fadiga.