Brits advised on the importance of good oral health.

Oral hygiene cannot be stressed enough as it is intrinsically linked to overall health and wellbeing, it has been claimed.

Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that gum disease can have serious adverse effects on the rest of the body – not just the gums – and this can be particularly devastating in pregnant women, as the illness has been linked to an increased likelihood of still birth.

Chris Davenport, a dental hygienist and chief executive officer of On-Site Dentistry, told the publication: “Too often we don’t take oral hygiene seriously enough. We think it’s just about bad breath. But I think there are some studies out there that can’t be ignored.”

Elsewhere, the American Academy of Periodontology recently noted that anyone who has bleeding gums should be aware that this is one of the earliest signs of gum disease and could be an indicator of other underlying dental health issues.

However, the organisation claimed that advances in dental technology – such as dental implants – now mean teeth lost to gum disease can be replaced.