People who don’t see a dentist regularly should be screened by their doctor for gum disease

That’s the main message of a study published today, World Oral Health Day, in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology (1), the official publication of the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP).

About 50% of people over 30 years of age have periodontitis, which is severe inflammation of the gums and structures supporting the teeth. If untreated, it causes tooth loss and inflammation throughout the body, which has been linked with higher risks of diabetes, heart attack, and stroke.

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