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Not Brushing Your Teeth May Increase Your Risk of Severe COVID-19

Nov 29, 2021

Poor oral hygiene has been associated with making other diseases worse. 

Not brushing your teeth will not only get you in trouble with the dentist, but since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, it could lead to bigger problems, too.

Photo via Placerville Dental Group

According to CNA, there has been growing evidence that poor oral health raises the risk posed by COVID-19. Research shows that people with poor oral health can end up with more severe symptoms if they catch COVID-19. 

Research found that patients who also have gum disease are 3.5 times as likely to be admitted to intensive care compared to those without. They’re also 4.5 times as likely to need to be put on a ventilator and nine times as likely to die from COVID-19.

Woah, this is shocking!

The fact that there’s a link between oral health and COVID-19 is less surprising when considering the link between oral hygiene and other diseases. Bad oral hygiene has been associated with making many other diseases worse.

This is because when bad hygiene is sustained for long periods, leading to dysbiosis, where the bacteria in the mouth change from a peaceful state into an aggressive one. Once the mouth’s bacteria become aggravated, they can cause gum disease, chewing away the tissues of the mouth and entering the bloodstream. 

Once there, the bacteria can then flow around the body and settle in various organs, raising levels of inflammation and over time contributing to various specific and chronic conditions. Alamak, this is scary…

Photo via Forbes

Not only that but, poor oral health can have an impact on the heart, raise blood pressure and make diabetes worse by raising blood sugar levels. It’s also been linked to premature births, arthritis, kidney diseases, respiratory disease and even some neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s. 

So, guys, it’s important that you maintain proper hygiene especially now! This means brushing twice a day for at least two minutes with a fluoride-containing toothpaste and visiting the dentist on a regular basis. 

We hope that you won’t catch COVID-19, but if you do, having good oral health and caring for your mouth could significantly reduce your risk of developing severe symptoms.

Take care of yourself, guys and stay safe!

By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat