Nov
26
HEALTHY GUMS ARE ESSENTIAL TO GOOD OVERALL HEALTH
It's hard to believe, but antibiotics destroyed Charlize Theron's baby teeth. "I had no teeth until I was 11," she says. Wow. Great smile now. How'd that happen? (Hint: Great dental care and flossing.)
For most folks, though, it goes the other way: As you get older you tend to neglect your teeth (one-third to one-half of adults in North America don't make their yearly dental check up, and only 36% of women and 14% of men floss even four times a week), which is a big reason why 75% of adults have some form of gum disease.
Gum disease increases the risk for kidney cancer by 49%, pancreatic cancer by 54% ...