Gum bacteria has been found in people's arterial plaque — and in their brains. Let that sink in. What's living in your mouth doesn't stay in your mouth.
Gum disease raises your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and dementia. The mechanism is inflammation, and inflammation drives aging at the cellular level. It also turns out that people with 20 or more teeth at age 70 are significantly more likely to live longer. Your teeth are a scoreboard for how well your body's been maintained.
Here's the part that surprised me most: antiseptic mouthwash can cut your body's nitric oxide production by up to 90%. Nitric oxide relaxes your blood vessels and protects your heart — so the “healthy” habit may be working against you. I switched to a fluoride-free, nitric oxide boosting toothpaste instead, and I floss or waterpik every single day.
At 71, I'm treating my mouth as longevity infrastructure, not vanity. You can find the toothpaste I use at GaryLeland.com/toothpaste.
These are products I use on my push to 200. I only put something on this list after I’ve tested it on myself. The links are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.
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