Every dental professional knows that a beautiful smile, far from being simply an aesthetic aspiration or cosmetic goal, is also a crucial indicator of general well-being in the body. Unfortunately, the modern tendency to fixate only on the aesthetic aspects of the smile can often obscure the far more important and compelling reasons for maintaining a healthy mouth. The direct link between oral and general health has been known for a long-time. Over the past few years, there has been a growing amount of research finding correlations between oral health issues (like tooth decay and gum disease) and more serious conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and even preterm births and/or low birthweight babies. For example, a 2021 University of Birmingham study found that patients with a medical history of gum disease were at increased risk of contracting illnesses such as depression and anxiety (by 37%), autoimmune disease (33%), cardiovascular disease (18%), ...