Life expectancy is influenced by a whole host of factors, both within our control (like diet and exercise) and outside of it (i.e., our genes and the situations we’re born into).
Dental health is one of the most important variables you might not even have considered. Tooth loss isn’t just an aesthetic concern—it’s a red flag for serious and even life-threatening health conditions.
Keep reading for our overview of how dental health affects overall health and, ultimately, life expectancy.
What Is the Mouth-Body Connection?
The term “mouth-body connection” describes the powerful link between dental health and overall health. When you have poor oral hygiene and fail to brush, and floss regularly, bacteria-filled plaque builds up on your teeth and can lead to gum infection. Your immune system responds to this threat by causing your gums to become inflamed in an effort to fight off the infection. Chronic gum inflammation can develop into severe gum disease (AKA periodontitis) as well as many other systemic health issues, as we’ll describe in the next section.
What Are the Long-Term Effects of Poor Oral Hygiene?
Not only does having visibly unhealthy and/or missing teeth have a social stigma attached to it, but there are also several serious diseases caused by poor dental hygiene and the dental diseases that result:
Endocarditis
One of the most alarming health problems caused by bad teeth is endocarditis, which is an infection of the endocardium (the inner lining of the valves/chambers of the heart). When bacteria build up in your mouth as a result of poor oral hygiene, they can spread through the blood vessels of your mouth into your bloodstream and travel to your heart, where they can cause this rare but extremely serious infection.
Cardiovascular Disease
In recent years, numerous studies have come out showing a strong correlation between gum disease and heart disease, clogged arteries, and stroke.
Pneumonia
Because your lungs and your mouth are directly connected by the trachea (i.e., the “windpipe”), it is possible for pathogenic bacteria to travel from the mouth to the lungs and cause pneumonia.
Pregnancy and Birth Complications
Poor dental hygiene in pregnant mothers can lead to birth complications, particularly low birth weight and premature birth. This can cause infants to develop health issues like lung and heart conditions as well as learning disorders.
Is Early Tooth Loss Predictive of a Shorter Life Expectancy?
The rare few who achieve the coveted status of “centenarian”—that is, those who live to the age of 100 and above—have better oral health than those who don’t. This indicates a clear link between having healthy teeth and living longer.
Tooth Loss Can Point to Hidden Health Problems
Losing your teeth is more common among those also suffering from diseases like diabetes, COPD, heart disease, and stroke. Because tooth loss carries a social stigma, it can also cause chronic stress, which further contributes to poor health.
In other words, the more teeth you have, the longer you’re likely to live. It’s hard to understate the importance of oral hygiene and dental health for anyone who values their overall health.
What Else Affects Life Expectancy?
Now that you know exactly how oral health affects overall health, we’ll bet you’re finally calling about that dentist appointment you’ve been meaning to schedule—and you might also be wondering which other lifestyle choices could have the greatest impacts on your life expectancy.
Try the Life Expectancy Calculator for yourself to get an idea of what your own life expectancy might be, based on a host of influential factors. Using cutting-edge research and statistical data, we’ve created a highly accurate tool that will empower you with the knowledge you need to improve your health and longevity.
