Several factors come into play when we have problems with the oral cavity. It is well known that good oral hygiene and preventive measures are important in determining whether we develop oral cavity diseases. Fewer know that it is not the only factor that is crucial to maintaining a healthy mouth.

Rather, it is a combination of lifestyle, including preventive dentistry, genetics, the immune system, and as a very important factor, the bacterial composition of the oral cavity. All factors interact and therefore cannot be considered isolated or ignored when looking at the cause of disease and the treatment approach in dentistry.

Personal dental hygiene and preventive dentistry in clinics have significantly improved dental status and oral health and will continue to be an important part of the response, but they cannot stand alone.

Systemic diseases and medical treatment also have a major impact on the oral cavity balance and thus on oral health. It is therefore important for the dentist to obtain information about our general health, medication, and lifestyle, as this helps the dentist to assess our oral health conditions.

Studies have shown that diseases of the oral cavity influence the development of several systemic diseases, just as systemic diseases influence the state of the oral cavity. It is an interaction like so much else in our body.

Read more about the human bacterial balance and the importance of having a healthy biofilm in the biofilm section.

In a disease like periodontitis, we know the four key factors that play a role in the development of the disease and its prognosis.

Read more about periodontitis and the four pieces in the puzzle - BACTERIA, GENETICS, IMMUNE SYSTEM, LIFESTYLE - that are all important factors in the development of the disease.