Oral bacteria linked to heart disease and cognitive decline

Scientists link oral bacteria from gum disease to heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline, arthritis, respiratory disease, and chronic liver disease.

A push is underway to treat the mouth as a source of bodywide inflammation, challenging the traditional divide between medicine and dentistry.

Dr. Jessica Lederhausen notes dentists and doctors have not been trained to connect oral health to whole-body health.

The Harvard School of Dental Medicine Initiative to Integrate Oral Health and Medicine researches policy and system design for whole-person care.

Wenyuan Shi of the ADA Forsyth Institute envisions heart doctors asking patients about dentist visits and periodontal disease.