Every year more than 3 million men suffer from prostatitis. Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate that can cause pain, difficulty urinating, and even flu-like symptoms. While this is a fairly common disease, what isn’t as commonly known about it, is that prostatitis and gum disease are linked.

One study found that men who had prostatitis and gum disease got better as their gum disease was treated. In the research study, 21 of the 27 men tested saw improvement in their prostatitis symptoms while they received treatment for their gum disease.

The link may lie in inflammation. Gum disease affects more than just your mouth and can lead to inflammation in other parts of your body. By treating the inflammation in their mouth, most of the men within the study saw symptom improvement in their prostate inflammation. This helped to improve their quality of life.

Take care of your mouth and it may just lead to better overall health. If you think you are at risk for gum disease or see something irregular in your mouth, head to the dentist and see if your mouth needs attention.