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Secret Agent's Hideous Mouth Reminds Viewers: 'Don't Forget to Floss, Baby'

Poor oral hygiene may pose a bigger threat to the movie character Austin Powers than his nemesis, Dr. Evil.

Austin Powers CHICAGO – June 10, 1999 – Poor oral hygiene is just as dangerous for the rest of us, according to the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), which cites studies linking periodontal (gum) disease to heart and respiratory disease.

"When bacterial plaque is allowed to build up on your teeth, you put yourself at high risk for periodontal disease," says Dr. Robert Schoor, president of the AAP. "And the bacteria associated with periodontal disease can travel into the blood stream to other parts of the body, jeopardizing your health."

The impact of periodontal disease, one of the most common infections, is far more widespread than the mouth. One study found that people with advanced periodontal disease are 4.5 times more likely to have a chronic respiratory disease. Another study found that people with periodontal disease may have nearly twice the risk of having a fatal heart attack as those without periodontal disease.

While periodontal disease cannot always be avoided, proper oral hygiene is the best means of prevention.

Daily flossing breaks up the bacterial colonies between teeth.
Proper brushing prevents plaque buildup.
Professional cleanings at least twice a year are necessary to remove calculus from places your toothbrush and floss may have missed.
And, because there are often no symptoms of the disease in its early stages, a trip to a periodontist can determine if you have it.

The January 1999 Journal of Periodontology reports that at the very least, nearly 30 percent of people in this country age 30 to 54 have periodontitis – an advanced state of periodontal disease in which there is bone loss around the teeth. Study Abstract *

* EDITOR'S NOTE: Representatives of the media may contact the AAP Public Affairs Department to receive a copy of the study Destructive Periodontal Disease in Adults 30 Years of Age and Older in the United States, 1988-1994. Abstracts of Journal of Periodontology articles are available to the public online. Full-text of studies may be accessed by AAP members and Journal subscribers or purchased online.

About the AAP

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) is is an 8,000-member professional organization for periodontists - specialists in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth, and in the placement of dental implants. Periodontists are also dentistry’s experts in the treatment of oral inflammation and receive three additional years of specialized training following dental school. Periodontics is one of the nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association.

Find out if you are at risk for periodontal diseases by taking the Academy’s risk assessment test. Referral to a periodontist in your area is available by calling 800-FLOSS-EM or visiting the AAP's website at www.perio.org.

For more information, contact the AAP Public Affairs Department at meg@perio.org or 312/573-3242.

Secret Agent's Hideous Mouth Reminds Viewers: 'Don't Forget to Floss, Baby'

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