Bad dental care ups your risk for diseases

Chances are you don’t get regular checkups and cleanings. A 2013 survey found 23 to 43 percent of American adults don’t make needed appointments with their dentist or dental hygienist. That neglect can cause trouble, and not just for gums and teeth.

An infected tooth can trigger chronic sinusitis, according to the American Association of Endodontists. The condition, maxillary sinusitis of endodontic origin, happens when the root of a molar gets infected. Bacteria can spread up to the sinus and cause chronic infection, triggering nasal stuffiness, pressure and post-nasal drip. Many doctors misdiagnose the condition. The real solution is a root canal.

Chronic gum disease (periodontitis) is linked to Alzheimer’s disease. In a multinational study in Science Advances, researchers looked at the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and found that gum disease produces bacteria and toxins that migrate to their brains and are instrumental in creating amyloid tangles and problems with tau proteins that characterize Alzheimer’s disease.

Gum disease is associated with diabetes, and poorly controlled diabetes makes gum disease worse.

Your smart move: Brush and floss twice daily. See your dental hygienist twice a year for a cleaning and get a complete oral exam.

Moving at work

Industry insiders estimate 400,000 to 600,000 treadmill desks were bought or constructed in the U.S. between 2007 and 2015. That’s not counting the popular pedaling workstations, at which some say it’s easier to work.

A review of studies on cycling and treadmill workstations in comparison to standing desks, published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, found that active workstations boost heart rate, alertness and energy expenditure and lower blood pressure during the working day.

Treadmill stations were associated with lower stress scores; cycling stations improved the speed of simple processing task. The drawbacks? It can be hard to work on a computer while walking on a treadmill or cycling energetically.

Quick tip: If you have a standing desk, instead of an active workspace, make sure you adjust its height and sit intermittently. A study from Mount Sinai Medical School found that participants who used an adjustable workstation (not a static one) had less upper back, shoulder, and neck discomfort, and 65 percent reported increased productivity.

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.