Hello, and welcome to another episode of Dr. Mercola's Cellular Wisdom, the show where we explore the

tiny things inside us that somehow end up running the entire show. I'm Ethan Foster, your ever-curious

observer of the human condition, especially when that condition includes interesting bacteria.

And I'm Alara Sky here to drop clever one-liners and microbiome facts in equal measure. Welcome,

everyone. We're about to prove that what

happens in your mouth definitely doesn't stay in your mouth. That sounds suspiciously like a tagline

for a questionable horror movie, Alara. Attack of the microbes, they came from the mouth.

And in this episode, their sequel, microbes march on the brain. But let's stay rational. We're talking

about how the oral microbiome can influence

cognitive health and even the risk of dementia. Quite a leap from brush your teeth, or you'll get a

cavity, to brush your teeth or risk forgetting to feed your cat. I assume there's some actual

science behind it. Absolutely. It turns out that the mouth is sort of a microbial grand central

station, with trains of bacteria making pit stops in every nook and cranny.

Certain ones can benefit brain function, others, not so much.

So let's set the stage.

A recent discussion by Dr. Mercola highlights a study that zeroed in on the connection between oral bacteria, nitric oxide production, and the risk of cognitive decline.

Sounds like the kind of science that

proves flossing could be your new memory booster. Because if there's one thing we all want,

it's to be able to remember exactly how many times we never flossed. But jokes aside, the study

looked specifically at individuals over 50, checking saliva samples and seeing how different bacteria

levels correlated with brain performance. So it's not just about whether you have morning breath. It's which microbes are having

a little block party in your mouth. Some are beneficial, like Niceria and

...