Oral health in focus at festival in Belgium
Did you know that poor oral health can be linked to diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and lung diseases? Professor Randi Bertelsen and PhD students Tuva Norderud Jensen and Anders R酶sland recently participated in the Science Is Wonderful! festival in Belgium 鈥� an annual celebration of EU-funded research organized by the European Commission.
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笔谤辞蹿别蝉蝉辞谤听 and PhD students Tuva Norderud Jensen聽and Anders R酶sland recently participated in the Science is Wonderfull聽festival in Belgium 鈥� an annual celebration of EU-funded聽research organized by the European Commission.
At the festival, curious children and young people got to explore the hidden world of bacteria through interactive activities:
- Watching animated videos showing bacteria鈥檚 journey from the mouth to the lungs
- Testing toothpaste by staining their teeth with plaque
- Trying out an oversized toothbrush
- Drawing their own "imaginary bacteria" and studying real bacteria in petri dishes under a microscope
- Measuring their lung capacity using balloons and a spirometer
Over 5,000 young people attended the festival.
We support research that inspires the next generation of scientists!
Met the EU Commmissioner for Research
During the event, Bertelsen also had the opportunity to meet the EU Commissioner for Research, Ekaterina Zaharieva, highlighting the importance of public health聽research and the connection between oral health and chronic diseases. An important meeting that underscores how research can contribute to better health policies and prevention across Europe!
Meet our researchers at the Science Fair in Bergen聽
You can also meet these researchers during the Science Feair at Festplassen Square in Bergen on Saturday 20 September 2025.
The fair open to everyone and is part of the annual science festival聽 which runs 17-28 September.
About the research project
Researchers in the BRuSH project have found that early treatment of gum disease such as periodontitis can improve lung function even in those with healthy lungs. Bacteria that cause inflammation in the oral cavity can reach the lungs and cause inflammation there. This means that by being careful with dental health and treating early, you can improve both oral health and prevent chronic lung diseases and other diseases that have inflammation as a common denominator.
Professor Randi Bertelsen leads the research project BRuSH which is funded by the European Research Council (ERC).聽Read more about the project here.
