A recent study published in Nature shows that the mouth plays a central role in the health of your entire body. Saliva and plaque contain especially valuable clues about your overall well-being – often earlier than other parts of the body.

Changes in the oral microbiome can trigger inflammation and have been linked to a wide range of conditions, including cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, and metabolic syndrome, autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or Hashimoto’s disease, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, joint disorders such as osteoarthritis, as well as respiratory diseases like asthma or COPD. Certain cancers, including liver, stomach, and colorectal cancer, as well as severe infections like sepsis, may also be promoted by an imbalanced oral microbiome.

The bacteria living in the mouth influence key processes such as inflammation and the regulation of blood pressure and blood sugar, potentially affecting the entire body systemically. The study also shows that many resistance genes are present simultaneously in the mouth, gut, and on the skin. Maintaining good oral health may therefore help limit the spread of resistant microbes and reduce inflammatory processes.

At the same time, research opens new opportunities for the future – such as saliva tests for early detection or targeted probiotic and postbiotic approaches that can act both orally and systemically.