The Connection Between Your Dental Hygiene and Long-Term Wellness Many people view taking care of their teeth as a cosmetic job, something they should do to have a clean, fresh mouth, but the oral cavity is the point of entry to the body's internal systems, and what goes on there is not isolated. The bacteria in your mouth can travel. When gum tissue swells or breaks down, oral bacteria can enter the bloodstream directly. They can then spread to the heart, the lungs, and other organs far from the source of the problem. This is the oral-systemic link, and it...