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Long-term study: Childhood oral health associates with the risk of adulthood disease

A long-term follow-up study of the University of Helsinki’s Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases and Turku University Hospital included 755 subjects followed up for 27 years. In 1980, participants (6, 9 and 12-year-old children) underwent clinical oral examination and only 5% had no sign of oral infections whereas 87% had caries and 68% had gum bleeding. In 2007, subjects (now around 30 years of age) underwent clinical cardiovascular follow-up and oral infections in childhood appear to be associated with the subclinical carotid atherosclerosis seen in adulthood. This reveals that oral dysbiosis and systemic inflammation increase cardiometabolic risk factors. Long-term study has been published in JAMA Network open science magazine in spring 2019. > Download study

Preventing the growth of unwanted bacteria is important already in childhood. In addition to normal oral hygiene, Streptococcus salivarius lactic acid bacteria (ToothGuide chewable tablets), which have been found in clinical trials to suppress unwanted bacterial species in both children and adults, can be added to the mouth.