Recent research has looked into the connection between oral health and physical health. Specifically, they have looked at how oral function impacts three particular areas of overall health. The findings demonstrate the importance of looking after our oral health, given its close relationship with overall physical health.
There is a strong connection between our oral health and our overall physical health. In fact, this connection is much stronger than many people realize.
With awareness of this link growing, there is newfound interest in the factors involved in this connection – especially in terms of how lifestyle-related diseases relate to oral health.
Now, new research has explored this connection [1]. The findings reaffirm the importance of oral health and the close relationship between oral and physical health.
Background
There has been plenty of past research that has demonstrated the link between physical and oral health [2].
For example, it is already known that poor oral health and gum disease have been associated with conditions like Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Additionally, poor oral health can also impact a person’s diet and nutritional intake. Consequently, this often impacts lifestyle-related diseases like diabetes or heart disease.
This research was specifically interested in oral functioning and its association with three specific areas of overall health.
The Research
The research was carried out by a team of researchers from Fujita University in Japan. Their study has been published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation [1].
The researchers wanted to investigate the link between oral health and the blood test results for three signs of overall health – glucose metabolism, lipid levels, and kidney function [1].
Glucose metabolism refers to the glucose levels a person has in their blood. Abnormally high or low levels of glucose in the blood is usually associated with health complications.
Moreover, lipid levels are closely related to cholesterol. High lipid levels are associated with cardiovascular health problems.
Finally, kidney function is another important area to analyze. The kidneys help to regulate blood pressure and maintain bone health, among other uses. Therefore, having strong kidney function is important.
The research involved 118 participants, all of whom were aged 50 or above. These 118 participants all had a dental check-up in 2021, and an annual physical examination in 2021 and 2023 [1].
The participants were given seven different oral function tests. These were tongue coating measurements, oral dryness, the number of functional teeth, tongue pressure, masticatory function, swallowing ability, and oral diadochokinesis (OD) [1].
Then, the participants were divided into two groups, based on their blood test results. Reference ranges were used in determining the two groups.
One group consisted of those considered to be in a healthy range in their results, and one group featured those considered to be in an unhealthy range [1].
The Results
The results were interesting. The group with unhealthy blood glucose levels had a significantly lower number of remaining teeth and OD (the speed and accuracy that a person can repeat certain syllables) compared to those in the healthy group [1].
Similarly, those with unhealthy lipid levels had high levels of tongue coating (representing high levels of unhealthy bacteria), and low levels of OD compared to those in the healthy group [1].
With kidney function, the results also followed the same pattern. Tongue coating, number of teeth remaining, and OD were all highlighted as problems for those in the unhealthy group when compared to the healthy group [1].
These results clearly show that poor oral health is closely related to poor physical health. The strength of this connection is noticeably very strong.
The difference between the healthy and unhealthy groups were significant. This underlines the scale of the impact of oral function.
Based on these findings, the authors have recommended that oral function tests are used during health check-ups [1]. Therefore, this would allow greater health insights to be gained.
Professor Mitsuyoshi Yoshida commented on the findings. Yoshida said that “our results suggest that a decline in oral function can be a risk factor for lifestyle-related diseases” [3].
Continuing, Yoshida says that “maintaining good oral health is the first step in maintaining overall health,” before confirming the authors have a vision for widescale introductions of oral function tests in health check-ups [3].
Overall, these findings again demonstrate the close link between physical and oral health. The results should serve as a reminder to us of the importance of looking after both our physical and oral health.
Thinking points…
[1] This research underlines the importance of looking after our oral health! Regularly keeping track of the health of your mouth is crucial. Therefore, remember to attend dental clinics regularly for a check-up, as any issues can be spotted and rectified early on. You should attend a check-up at least once every six months. We recommend that you book an appointment soon!
[2] If you are due to have a blood test soon, it could be worth requesting an oral function test too. Clearly, an oral function test provides interesting insights and should provide you with more detailed information on your overall health. If you do have a blood test scheduled, why not have a discussion with your doctor or nurse about having an oral function test too?
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We provide our patients with a range of treatment options and advice, with the aim of improving oral health and boosting overall wellbeing!
We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a dental check-up. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To try and prevent problems, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.
Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Our patients find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.
In addition, the fees of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.
We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca/!
References
[1] Kanie, H., Yoshida, M., Yokoi, M., et al. (2025). Relationship Between Blood Test Results and Oral Function Tests in Individuals Undergoing Regular Physical Examinations. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.13977.
[2] Li, X., Kolltveit, K. M., Tronstad, L., & Olsen, I. (2000). Systemic Diseases Caused by Oral Infection. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 13 (4): p547-558. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128%2Fcmr.13.4.547-558.2000.
[3] Harley, S. (2025). Uncovering the relationship between oral function and lifestyle-related diseases. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-uncovering-relationship-oral-function-lifestyle.html. Last accessed: 16th July 2025.
