New research from the University of Sydney has found a strong link between poor oral health and a higher incidence of migraines abdominal pain and body pain in women.

Published in Frontiers in Pain Research this groundbreaking study is the first to identify specific oral microbes associated with certain pain conditions suggesting a potential connection between the oral microbiome and the nervous system.

The findings underscore the importance of maintaining good oral health as a possible way to reduce pain and enhance overall well-being. They also pave the way for further investigation into the role of oral microbiota in chronic unexplained pain conditions such as fibromyalgia which affected 67 percent of the study’s participants.

The study explored the connections between self-reported oral health the oral microbiome and different types of pain in a group of New Zealand women both with and without fibromyalgia.

Oral health was measured using the WHO oral health questionnaire and compared with reports of body pain headaches migraines and abdominal discomfort. These pain indicators were evaluated using validated tools including the Short Form-36  the International Headache Society’s headache survey and the Functional Bowel Disorder Severity Index. Notably strong correlations were found between oral health scores and various types of pain each linked to specific oral microbes identified through advanced genomic analysis.

Women with the poorest oral health were significantly more likely to report higher levels of pain: they were 60% more likely to experience moderate to severe body pain and 49% more likely to suffer from migraine headaches. Poor oral health also emerged as a significant predictor of frequent and chronic migraines.

Four oral microbial species belonging to the genera Dialister Fusobacterium Parvimonas and Solobacterium were significantly linked to pain even after accounting for factors such as age body mass index (BMI) and added dietary sugars.

The study also found a weak but statistically significant inverse relationship between diet quality and oral health though researchers note this connection requires further investigation.

To support overall oral health the Australian Dental Association recommends regular dental check-ups and hygiene appointments along with brushing twice daily and flossing.

Source: https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2025/04/10/poor-oral-health-linked-with-body-pain-and-migraines-in-women--.html