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According to research, migraine headaches and body pains can be the result of poor oral hygiene.  

Focusing on women, the research which was conducted identified specific oral microbes associated with certain pain conditions. It also proposed the possible link between the oral microbiome and the nervous system.  

The study was on self-assessed oral health, the oral microbiome, and various pain manifestations among 67 New Zealand women with and without fibromyalgia – a chronic condition characterized by widespread muscle pain, exhaustion, sleep issues, and myriad other symptoms.  

The findings reported in the journal Frontiers in Pain Research revealed that poor oral hygiene was a statistically significant determinant of chronic and frequent migraine headaches.

“This is the first study that looked at oral health, oral microbiota, and pain in women with fibromyalgia. Our study demonstrates clear and significant association between oral health and pain,” said lead investigator Associate Professor Joanna Harnett from the Faculty of Medicine and Health. Those with the poorest oral health tended to score higher on the pain scale. Approximately sixty per cent of women were more likely to have body pain of moderate to severe intensity, while forty-nine per cent were likely to suffer from migraine headaches.  

After controlling for age, BMI, and dietary sugars, four species were associated with pain, Dialister, Fusobacterium, Parvimonas, and Solobacterium.  

“Sharon Erdrich” is the name of a doctoral candidate in the Faculty of Medicine and Health who gave special emphasis to fibromyalgia since it is classified as a common rheumatological ailment, but still receives minimal attention.  

The authors commented on the strongest correlation they observed between diet and oral care. They noticed a weak but significant inverse correlation between oral and diet quality and oral hygiene which has yet to be studied in detail.  

Besides brushing and flossing twice a day, the authors advocate for regular oral hygiene appointment and dental health check.

 


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