Dr. Chuck Reinertsen, the founder of The Dental Medical Convergence, blends humor with research during a talk at TEDxEustis 2020. There, he discussed the surprising connection between oral health and major health issues.

Most people don’t realize some of the most severe dental conditions don’t present any pain. You could have no physical symptoms at all and have a major health problem. Take a dental abscess. It’s an infection that occurs underneath the gums. An abscess can be caused by an untreated cavity, injury, trauma to the gums, excessive oral bacteria, and poor oral hygiene. Many times these are not painful. If you don’t visit a dentist regularly, it can go unnoticed and untreated. Your body can’t get rid of the infection, so the bacteria can travel through your bloodstream to other parts of your body. Untreated periodontal disease is linked to these health problems: diabetes, heart disease, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy complications, and Alzheimer’s disease.

The health of your mouth matters to your overall health. Properly cleaning your teeth every day can save you time and money dealing with future dental and health problems.

See how you can take control of your own oral health.