Not brushing your teeth can cause cancer?

Research from the University of Birmingham School of Dentistry has shown that not brushing your teeth for just two weeks could result in significant damage to the immune system, and possibly even cause cancer.

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Brushing your teeth is critical for overall good health, not just your teeth. Image courtesy of Newport dental group.

It can be critical to your overall health to brush your teeth every day. Here are five good reasons to keep your teeth clean:

  1. Risk of infection to immune system.

The University of Birmingham School of Dentistry’s Professor Iain Chapple found that the time it takes for poor dental hygiene to affect your immune system can be as minimal as two weeks. Lab tests conducted at the university showed that the immune system was significantly less responsive when confronted with infectious invaders after just two weeks of dental hygiene neglect.

2. Diabetes and other chronic illnesses.

Recent scientific research has shown that gum infection can trigger a chain reaction to other vital organs throughout our bodies. This chronic inflammation has strong links to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, stroke and cancer.

3. Bad Breath

The scientific term for bad breath, halitosis is caused by bacteria present in the mouth, typically the result of poor dental hygiene habits.

4. Gum disease.

Infrequent brushing and flossing can leave you with bleeding gums at the times that you do reach for the toothbrush. This is a sign of gum disease, which, if left untreated, can lead to loss of teeth

5. Unexpected Costs

Dental and medical bills as a result of lazy brushing habits can hit hard. Research shows you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on an electric toothbrush – a $3 supermarket toothbrush will do the trick. It is not the quality of the toothbrush, but the quality and time spent brushing that gives the results our mouths (and bodies) need.

Georgia Brown

Georgia loves spending her weekends trekking Sydney's iconic coastlines - inevitably with a soy latte in one hand, and iPhone in the other. Aspiring linguist, teacher, and social soccer player in need of a few extra training sessions.

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