I have had two instances where people I knew had dental problems, and when those problems were resolved long term health problems disappeared. I have always been of the opinion that mouth health had a serious impact on health overall, and had circumstantial evidence, but no real proof. That proof has now emerged and not to my surprise is backed by years of cases similar to those I cited.

Better Oral Hygiene = Better Health

Better Oral Hygiene = Better Health

Specifically observed was a connection between oral health and heart health. This study was published in the International Journal of Cardiology, so if you are interested in more detail when you have concluded this brief article, visit their website. There are articles from the August 2008, and the November 2009 issues.

In layman’s terms (my terms) comparing two groups of patients one group who had suffered a heart attack, and a control group, found that those who did have the heart attack generally had poorer oral health. This isn’t to say that the poor oral health was the cause of the heart attacks, but probably was a contributing factor.

The linking cause is toxins resulting from either gingivitis or periodontitis Gingivitis is the milder of the two, being more of a gum infection, and periodontitis is a more advanced oral infection affecting the bones, often leading to tooth loss. The bacteria and plaque lead to the toxins which circulate around in the blood  stream. This basically tells us that not only the heart can be affected, but also the circulatory system and probably any other organs. Take a moment and think about whatever health issues you or those around you have at this time. Whether heart, lung, kidney, liver, skin, or whatever, do you think that you should take steps to help those organs function at their optimum? So many people today are quick to react to symptoms, rather than be proactive, but as the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And at the price of today’s over the counter and pharmaceutical ‘cures’ tooth paste and floss could be the bargain of the century.

In the two instances I personally witnessed, both men had a history of poor dental health and eventually had all their teeth removed and replaced with dentures. Afterwards, both reported (informally) that chronic pains and persistant illnesses were reduced, and that they generally recovered from illnesses more quickly. Again, that is curcumstancial, but I think those first hand stories are very compelling.

The moral of the story is take care of your mouth and teeth. Some estimates have up to thirty percent of Americans with some sort of dental disease, whether gingivitis or periodontitis, so brush and floss people. Everyday.

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Life Extension and Anti Aging Research – Pandora’s Box or Path to Eternity?

March 11, 2010

“Who wants to live forever” is the haunting echo from the theme song of “Highlander.” But some scientists are starting to try to figure out how we can live longer healthier lives. Doesn’t sound controversial does it? Yet it depends what the final goal, doesn’t it?
There are many people who have started to look at [...]

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High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Health Hype Or Fat Loss Results Fast?

March 1, 2010

Don’t think you have enough time to stay in shape? You’d be surprised at what you can accomplish in a short period, if you believe the claims from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Of course it’s backed by studies and research, but some traditionalists still don’t buy into High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT [...]

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Testosterone: Grumpy Old Man Syndrome, Hormones, Supplements and the NFL Concussion Connection

February 25, 2010

Why are old men sometimes grumpy? That grumpiness has been tied to low levels of testosterone. But why are NFL players and boxers grumpy? Interestingly enough concussions are linked to low levels of testosterone as well. Should impacted athletes be concerned?
Of course the older you get the more you start to question the reasoning [...]

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Top Ten Pet Peeves at the Gym

February 15, 2010

I don’t dwell on the negative. I don’t dwell on the negative. Sometimes I have to bust loose and blow off steam though.
Top Ten
10. Too much water on the rocks in the sauna. (Usually by people who spend two minutes in there after pouring a half gallon on the rocks of a ‘dry sauna’)
9.Cell Phones [...]

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Stranger in a Strange Land

February 12, 2010

One of my favorite books of all times is Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. He was a genius and often is referred to as the father of science fiction. He and Isaac Asimov put so much more than sci-fi into their books and both were amazingly prolific writers. You can argue that [...]

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Stress Kills..

February 8, 2010

It’s true. Stress kills people. High blood pressure, nervous breakdowns, tension, bills, car trouble, responsibilities, kids, relationships, headaches,  ACK! Stop. no more…. (this could be a long list. Let’s not go there)
So what can you do to relieve your stress? Think about why you are stressing out and really examine those things. Are they things [...]

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Magnesium-L-threonate and Brain Function

February 2, 2010

I have been concentrating a lot on supplements lately and diet, but there is more to life than those aspects (although diet and supplements are very important.)
I was reading an interesting article on magnesium. More and more research is showing that most diets are not including enough magnesium to help with deteriorating brain function. Of [...]

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Resveratrol – Pros and Cons (Pro et Contra)

January 21, 2010

What is resveratrol, really? Resveratrol is a phytoalexin, a class of antibiotic compounds produced as a part of a plant’s defense system against disease. Could swiping this defense system be used to fight disease in humans? Lots of folks wondered why the French people have low rates of heart disease — even though they have [...]

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Losing Weight Fast and Easy

January 15, 2010

I have, in the past, talked a bit about the Seven Minute Workout and the Every Other Day Diet, both of which I recommend without reserve. I have seen real muscle gains following the seven minute workout plan, and now, I can attest to the EODD.
And in advance I will say that this is very [...]

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