A: pneumonia

Poor dental care increases the risk of contracting pneumonia, experts warn, after scientists at the Yale University School of Medicine discovered that changes in mouth bacteria precede development of the disease. “Our findings may improve the way we prevent pneumonia in the future by maintaining the bacteria which live in our mouths,” says lead author Dr. Samit Joshi. Researchers followed 37 hospital patients for four weeks and found that those on ventilators who developed pneumonia had experienced a significant shift in the bacterial composition in the mouth. “People must remember that prevention can be very basic,” says Nigel Carter of the British Dental Health Foundation. “Links between gum disease and overall health have been well documented, and keeping up good oral health can really help stave of illness. “Brushing your teeth two minutes twice a day, cleaning in between them with inter dental brushes or floss and visiting the dentist regularly will be a great starting point.”