You might be surprised to know that the benefits of maintaining good dental health extend far beyond just your mouth. In fact your oral health—the health of your teeth and gums—has a major impact on overall health, medical costs, and quality of life. Find out what UIC is doing to educate patients and the future workforce to improve oral health as part of overall health.

Most bacteria in our bodies are harmless; some are even beneficial. Then there are the bacteria that cause oral diseases such as tooth decay, or cavities, and periodontal disease. These bacteria cause big problems because there are so many of these little recycling machines.