In The News This Week … Nov. 28–Dec. 4, 2004: "Brush Your Teeth or Die!"

"Brush Your Teeth or Die!"

Sounds like an over-the-top threat by a crazed parent, doesn't it? However, research published in the November 2004 journal Chest says essentially the same thing.

The article Colonization of Dental Plaques: A Reservoir of Respiratory Pathogens for Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia in Institutionalized Elders, linked poor dental hygiene to pneumonia. Researchers took samples of the dental plaque found in the mouths of 49 elderly patients. Of the 49, 28 had bacteria known to cause respiratory disease in their dental plaque, and 21 did not. The pathogens included Staphylococcus aureus (45%), enteric Gram-negative bacilli (42%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13%).

Ultimately, of these 49 patients, 14 developed pneumonia. And of these 14, 10 had the disease-causing bacteria in their dental plaque.

So, in conclusion:

1. Brush your teeth!
2. Clearly, this is another example of the truism: It's the little things in life that count.
3. Brush your teeth!!
4. Please, dental professionals – dentists, orthodontists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants – continue to belabor us about brushing and flossing.
5. Brush your teeth!!!

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