Six things that improve the health of your teeth and gums

We all know taking care of our teeth is important if we want to have fresh breath and a beautiful smile.

But did you know dental care is also important for the health of our heart, our blood vessels and our brain?

The latest medical research suggests that since the mouth is the gateway to the body, if our teeth and gums haven’t been looked after, it could cause harm to our other organs as we age.

Scientists believe this link could be because unhealthy teeth and gums tend to harbour bacteria, and this bacteria could leak into our bloodstream, increasing our risk of heart disease, stroke and even dementia* as we get older.

Luckily, we can lower the risk of developing serious illnesses as well as painful cavities (and yucky bad breath) by making sure we brush twice a day and floss or use interdental brushes*.

We should also do these six things to strengthen our teeth and gums and improve our oral health.

EAT LOTS OF OMEGA-3 FATS
The omega-3* found in fatty fish is excellent for general and oral health because of its powerful anti-inflammatory* effects, which means it brings down or reduces swelling. You can find omega-3 in salmon, sardines and mackerel.

“Some studies show that when people with gum disease* take omega-3s alongside dental treatment, their gums heal a little better,” said Dr Saroash Shahid, a reader in dental anatomy at Queen Mary University of London.

“Other good sources of omega-3 fats are flaxseed and walnuts,” Dr Shahid said.

EAT BEETROOT AND LEAFY GREENS
Not all bacteria in the mouth is bad. Some good oral bacteria are known to play a key role in turning nitrate* to nitric oxide*, which has been shown in numerous studies to relax and widen blood vessels and improve blood flow around the body, including to the brain. Joint research by University of Exeter health and life sciences professor Dr Anni Vanhatalo and dementia research professor Dr Anne Corbett has shown that eating plenty of nitrate-rich foods, including beetroot, can help with that process.

Leafy greens such as spinach, rocket and other salad leaves are also good sources of nitrate.

EXERCISE DAILY
Being active is good for your mouth, as a recent review in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care found. Dental researchers looked at the effects of regular intense physical exercise – running, cycling, swimming and competitive sports – and found that those who are fit “have lower levels of inflammatory biological markers*, which is linked to better oral health”.

They also revealed that regular exercise helped the body’s production of salivary antigens*, substances in saliva that can trigger a positive immune response, helping you to fight off disease.

“Exercise improves blood flow, lowers levels of inflammation in the body that exacerbate* gum disease, and helps control conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure that can make gum problems worse,” Dr Shahid says. “While a workout in the gym won’t clean your teeth, staying active supports the gums and tissues that keep them in place.”

EAT LOTS OF FIBRE
Foods high in fibre* are good for the gut – but they are also good for the teeth and gums.

A review by dental experts from Australia, New Zealand and India found that people who consumed 22-30g of fibre daily had less swelling of the gums, less plaque build-up and stronger tissues surrounding the teeth.

Crunchy foods like celery, raw carrots and capsicum promote oral health not just because of the immune enhancing antioxidants* they contain, but because they actually scrub the teeth as you chew them. Think of them as nature’s own interdental brushes, said Dr Neil Sikka, the director of dentistry at Bupa Dental Care.

“All high-fibre foods act a bit like a natural cleanser as they rub against your teeth when you chew,” he said. “The chewing they require stimulates saliva production, which, in conjunction with good brushing and flossing habits, helps to remove plaque from the teeth.”

EAT CHEESE AFTER A MEAL
Cheese is good news for your oral health. “It is not only rich in calcium and phosphorus*, which strengthen your tooth enamel, but cheese also helps to neutralise acid levels in the mouth,” Dr Sikka said.

Eating a small piece of cheese after eating acidic foods or drinks such as ultra-processed foods and fizzy drinks can help to raise pH levels in the mouth, reducing levels of bacteria that, over the long term, can lead to decay.

SEE YOUR DENTIST REGULARLY
It’s important to visit your dentist regularly so they can keep an eye on how your teeth and gums are going. They will be able to check for any signs of cavities or plaque build up while giving your teeth a good clean, polish and fluoride treatment to strengthen them as you grow.

It is recommended that you visit your dentist every six to 12 months for a check up or sooner if you have a tooth ache or notice a problem.

This article originally appeared on The Times.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• dementia: a group of diseases that affect the function of the brain, affecting memory, behaviour, the ability to think and perform daily tasks and bodily control
• interdental brushes: thin round brushes that slide in between your teeth
• omega-3: an essential fatty acid that is needed for brain and heart function that cannot be made by the body and needs to be ingested through food sources
• anti-inflammatory: reducing inflammation, or swelling, in the body
• gum disease: an infection of the tissues supporting the teeth, starting with mild inflammation of the gums leading to worsening inflammation and even loss of teeth
• nitrate: a nitrogen-oxygen compound found in soil, water and some foods. Nitrates from vegetables are considered very healthy but ingesting too much nitrate found in processed food where the compound has been added as a preservative may be bad for your health
• nitric oxide: a gas molecule that helps to relax blood vessels so that blood flows better and oxygen and other nutrients can be delivered to all the organs
• inflammatory biological markers: substances that show how much inflammation there is in the body
• salivary antigens: molecules found in saliva that helps the body produce antibodies to fight off bacteria and other pathogens
• exacerbate: make something worse
• fibre: the part of plant-based food that can’t be fully digested that helps to clean out your intestines and bowel when it passes through the body
• antioxidants: substances in food that protect your body from cancer-causing free radicals
• phosphorus: an essential mineral that is vital for forming bones and teeth

EXTRA READING
Taking care of your teeth is a reason to smile
Gaps in childhood tooth brushing
Wombats waddle to the dentist

QUICK QUIZ
1. Which organs can be affected by unhealthy teeth and gums?
2. What does bacteria have to do with poor oral hygiene?
3. What are some types of foods that omega-3 is found in?
4. Why is beetroot good for you?
5. How does exercise help your teeth and gums?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Simplify the information
Break this news article down into a series of subheadings and short dot points so that readers with limited time could understand the important parts quickly.

Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Health and Physical Education; Science

2. Extension
Write a “daily schedule” for a person that is aiming to have good oral health. It should list the activities they might do during the day and give details of some of the foods they might consume.

Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Health and Physical Education; Science; Mathematics

VCOP ACTIVITY
Read this!
A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.

Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.

Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?

Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.