In the womenfolk, oral health could be a strong indicator of overall health. According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, gum disease, and tooth loss are connected to a higher risk of early death in women past the age of menopause.

The Problem...
For older women, having a history of periodontal disease, a serious gum infection, presents a 12% higher risk of premature death from any cause, while the loss of natural teeth is associated with a 17% higher risk.

Periodontitis and edentulism (the word for when you lose your natural teeth) are thought to be related to chronic diseases of aging, including diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, lung disease.

Loss of all natural teeth -- complete edentulism -- was associated with a 17% higher risk of early death from any cause. Compared to women with intact teeth, the research shows those women with complete edentulism were older, less educated, visited the dentists less frequently and had more cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as family history, physical inactivity and poor diet.

The research says how many teeth you have in your mouth at a given point in time is more of a broad reflection of your overall, cumulative health status. The more natural teeth you may, the healthier your overall health status. We shouldn't forget, the teeth came out from the bones and are directly connected to the skeleton, the human frame itself.

The Solution...Oral health screening
Just like screening for high cholesterol or diabetes, the new findings in the oral research suggest that women should do a more consistent oral screening at the dentists to avoid health consequences later in life. In addition to lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise and smoking cessation, women might want to add dental visits to monitor for gum disease.

Now, this research doesn't say gum disease or tooth loss could lead to early death, it only shows there's an association between the state of oral health and premature death.