COUNTING teeth is something you might have done as a child when your adult ones were growing in.
But scientists say the amount – and general state – of your gnashers could help predict your risk of dying young.
A fuller smile and healthy teeth were linked to a lower risk of mortality, as a study published in BMC Oral Health showed.
Meanwhile, having more missing or decayed teeth was linked with increased mortality risk
There’s more to your oral health than having pearly white smile.
Gum disease – which can cause bleeding and tooth loss – has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular issues like heart attacks or stroke.
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There’s also some evidence of links between poor oral health and cognitive decline, a precursor for conditions like Alzheimer’s.
As researchers from the University of Osaka, Japan, put it: “The number of teeth is a major indicator of oral health, as [a] low number of existing teeth is a predictor of a wide variety of health problems, including diabetes, hypertension [high blood pressure], cardiovascular disease, end-stage kidney disease, dementia, cancer, and even mortality.”
They studied the dental and health records of 190,282 adults aged 75 and older.
Researchers’ aim was “to identify the effective way to count the number of teeth, with their condition, for predicting all-cause mortality”.
They categorised participants’ gnashers as sound, filled, or decayed.
Researchers counted the amount of teeth participants had – up to 28 as they excluded the third molars – and how many of their teeth fit each of the above categories.
They also took into account participants’ BMI, age and whether they smoked, and accessed health records to determine if they had health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol, heart issues or dementia.
“The total number of sound and filled teeth predicted all-cause mortality more accurately than the number of sound teeth alone, or the number of sound, filled, and decayed teeth combined, suggesting that the diagnosis of tooth conditions is clinically relevant for assessing the risk of all-cause mortality in the older population,” researchers wrote.
“The large sample size enabled us to compare the clinical impacts on all-cause mortality among sound, filled, and decayed teeth combined and to identify the most effective way to count the number of teeth for predicting the all-cause mortality.”
All-cause mortality measures the likelihood of someone dying earlier than they would typically be expected to.
The researchers suggested that missing or decayed teeth could be indicative of chronic inflammation that may spread to other parts of the body.
Having fewer teeth can also make it harder to chew food and maintain a healthy, nutritious diet, they pointed out.
“Decayed teeth may be indicative of an increased risk of all-cause mortality, either due to their lack of structural restoration, leading to functional impairment, or as a potential source of chronic inflammation,” they said.
As a result, keeping on track of your oral health and getting any issues fixed might protect you against the risk of early death, the study team suggested.
How to brush your teeth the right way
IT can sometimes be hard to know how to look after your teeth beyond brushing them twice a day.
Thankfully, Faizan Zaheer, from Bupa Dental Care, previously shared his advice on how to keep teeth in tip-top condition.
BRUSH UP ON STORAGE: Good toothbrush hygiene means keeping it somewhere for it to dry out — and that’s not the bathroom.
Faizan said: “Toothbrushes that stay moist for an extended period encourage bacterial growth.
“Keep your toothbrush holder away from the toilet and sink.
“Flushing can create an aerosol effect, spraying germs in the air.”
It is also a good idea to change your brush every three to four months.
TWO-MINUTE CLEAN: Brush your teeth for two minutes, morning and evening, with a fluoride toothpaste.
“If you are very good at brushing, then plaque will not build up, so there will be fewer spots for bacteria to produce acid and cause decay,” says Faizan.
Brushing too hard can wear away the enamel on your teeth, so use light pressure in a small, circular motion.
DON’T RINSE: It is best to just spit out toothpaste after cleaning.
Faizan says: “People tend to rinse their mouths after brushing.
“However, this causes the removal of fluoride from the teeth, which means it can’t benefit by strengthening the minerals in the enamel.”
Rinsing with mouthwash is another habit to drop.
Faizan says: “It usually has a lower fluoride concentration than toothpaste.
“Therefore, it will dilute the fluoride concentration in the mouth if used after brushing.”
Wait a minute after brushing before using mouthwash, or find another time in the day.
FLOSS: Using floss or small interdental brushes removes bacteria between your teeth.
Faizan says: “Put the dental floss between two teeth and while holding it firmly against one tooth, slide it up and down.
“Repeat while holding the floss against the other tooth in the gap.
“As the floss reaches your gums, carefully slide it below the gum line to get those hard-to-reach places.”
“Although multiple studies have identified the number of non-missing teeth as a significant predictor of all-cause mortality, few have assessed the impact of each tooth’s clinical condition on all-cause mortality,” they wrote.
Researchers noted that their study had several limitations.
For example, poor oral health could reflect a low socioeconomic status, which can also affect the kind of dental care you have access to as well as how long you live.
The University of Osaka researchers called for more studies to examine how many teeth people have as well as their condition, to determine their health and mortality.
“The mechanism underlying the association between the number of decayed and filled teeth and all-cause mortality should be carefully investigated in well-designed cohort studies,” they concluded.
It comes after a study warned that people with cavities and gum disease due to poor teeth brushing habits could face an 86 per cent higher risk of ischemic stroke.
Ischemic strokes are the most common type of stroke and occur when a clot or blockage reduces blood flow to the brain, depriving it of oxygen and nutrients.