Key take-aways from chapter two

If you take home anything from the second chapter, let it be these three things.

1. The mouth is a gateway to the body

For bacteria, it serves as a portal to the digestive and respiratory tracts. Inadequate oral hygiene does not only impact oral health but also reverberates throughout the entire body.

2. This link between the mouth and body is evident 

Especially in diseases sharing commonalities with oral conditions. Periodontitis pathogens found in tumour tissue, dental calculus as a potential indicator of heart attack risk, or bacteria entering the bloodstream through the mouth underscore the profound impact of oral health on overall well-being.

3. Recognising these undeniable connections calls for dismantling barriers between medical fields 

Collaborative efforts that treat the whole body as an interconnected organism, are essential for health professionals to deliver optimal results to their patients, not only in terms of oral health, but overall health as well.