Let’s face it. Most of us take our teeth for granted. Sure, we brush and floss (well, some of the time). And we know, of course, that teeth are essential for chewing our food and for maintaining a beautiful smile. But when we get a cavity – or even when we are diagnosed with gum disease that might culminate in tooth loss – we rarely think of these problems as posing permanent risks to our general health and vitality. We simply don’t place the same importance on our dental health as we do on, say, the health of our vital organs. After all, the mouth is the domain of the dentist; the body, the domain of the doctor. But that perspective is changing. Recent research provides convincing evidence that oral health and overall health are inextricably linked –what’s good for our mouth is also good for the rest of the body that we work so hard to keep fit and healthy. Dentists increasingly screen for systemic diseases, which involve many organs or the whole body, through tongue ...