If you’ve got bad teeth, here’s adding insult to injury - having bad teeth may predispose you to having a bad heart and even raise your risk of certain cancers.
Scientists from the University of Stockholm found that infection and inflammation in the gums plays a role in one in ten cancers. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine says, bad teeth maybe linked to heart disease and it raises your risk of getting diabetes. It all boils down to plaque and inflamed gums which are breeding grounds for toxic bacteria in your mouth.
And if you still think those food bits are just a little something in your mouth, err... scroll through these microscopic images to see what your teeth look like, up close and personal.
Doctor: When is it that you do the best brushing ever?
Me: An hour before seeing you.
Me: Is brushing twice a day enough to avoid tooth decay?
Doctor: Decay is caused by acid releasing from food wedged in your teeth. And food shreds don’t always go away by brushing. Hence, flossing.
Me: Brushing twice a day and flossing? Ain’t got that much time doc!
Doctor: You don’t have to brush all your teeth. Just the ones you want to save.
Doctor: Since we’re at it, vigorously brushing before seeing a dentist won’t change a thing.
Pop! (sound of my bubble bursting)
Doctor: And don’t forget about your gums. The bacteria accumulation in gums indicates poor overall health. Inflammation in your gums can be the start of serious diseases; plaque in your mouth = plaque in your arteries.
Me: Next time I’m lazy to brush in the night, I will tell myself; there’re thousands of bacteria pooping in my mouth!
BRB. Brushing. Before my smile looks like this: