Daijiworld Media Network - Sydney

Sydney, Apr 9: If you're suffering from migraine headaches or persistent body pain, your oral hygiene might be partly to blame. A new study published in Frontiers in Pain Research has found a strong link between poor oral health and chronic pain conditions, particularly among women.

The study, led by Associate Professor Joanna Harnett from the University of Sydney's Faculty of Medicine and Health, examined 67 women from New Zealand, with and without fibromyalgia a condition marked by widespread pain, fatigue, and disturbed sleep.

Researchers identified specific oral microbes tied to higher instances of chronic migraines and body pain. Notably, four bacteria from the Dialister, Fusobacterium, Parvimonas, and Solobacterium genera were significantly associated with increased pain levels, even after accounting for factors like age, BMI, and dietary sugar intake.

“This is the first study to explore links between oral health, the oral microbiome, and pain commonly experienced by women with fibromyalgia,” said Dr Harnett. “Our findings clearly suggest a significant association between poor oral health and chronic pain.”

The data showed that women with the poorest oral health were 60% more likely to experience moderate to severe body pain and 49% more likely to suffer from migraines.

Sharon Erdrich, a doctoral candidate involved in the study, highlighted the broader implications: “Fibromyalgia is often underdiagnosed, and this research may offer new avenues for management and diagnosis.”

The team also observed that lower diet quality correlated with poor oral health, though they noted more research is needed in this area.

Experts recommend maintaining oral hygiene through regular dental check-ups, twice-daily brushing, and flossing, as well as improving dietary habits, to potentially reduce the risk of chronic pain conditions.