There are benefits to keeping your pearly whites so, well,
pearly white that go beyond having a picture-perfect smile.
According to a recent study from the University of California,
daily brushing is associated with a lower risk of developing
dementia later on, Reuters reported. The Journal of the American
Geriatrics Society study included 5,468 people with an average
age of 81, who were part of a retirement community in California
between 1992 and 2010. Over the 18-year study period, 1,145
eventually developed dementia. Researchers found that female
study participants who didn't practice daily brushing had a 65
percent greater chance of developing dementia than those who
did. Similar -- though less pronounced -- results were found for
the men; those who didn't brush daily had a 22 percent greater
chance of developing the disease than those who kept up their
dental habits, Reuters reported. "In addition to helping
maintain natural, healthy, functional teeth, oral health
behaviors are associated with lower ris