Story at-a-glance Women with chronic migraines and body-wide pain were far more likely to have poor oral health, with over half falling into the lowest oral health categories in a new study Specific oral bacteria, including Mycoplasma salivarium and Gardnerella vaginalis, were significantly more common in women who reported frequent migraines and widespread pain Harmful oral microbes don't stay in your mouth; once gum tissue is inflamed, these bacteria enter your bloodstream, disrupt the immune system, and trigger systemic pain A less diverse oral microbiome was found in women with migraines and gut pain, making it easier for pain-triggering bacteria to dominate and inflame nerve pathways Inflammatory chemicals produced by oral bacteria — like calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) — are directly involved in migraine and fibromyalgia, showing how poor oral hygiene can set off whole-body pain responses