Study Links Brushing Teeth with Heart Disease

Most of us appreciate the importance of brushing our teeth if we wish to avoid tooth decay and gum disease. What we may not realize is that failure to brush our teeth could mean that we are more likely to develop heart disease; at least that is what is being suggested in a study conducted in Scotland. This research indicates that those who fail to brush their teeth twice a day may be eighty percent more likely to develop heart disease. There have been claims of a link between brushing teeth and heart disease in the past and this study is providing evidence to support this assertion.

Study into the Links between Brushing Teeth and Heart Disease

This was a large study that looked at the 11,869 adults who were older than 35; the data was obtained over a five year period as part of the Scottish Health Survey. Researchers later analyzed this data and conducted a follow up study. The outcome was that those who reported brushing their teeth less than twice a day were far more likely to later suffer from heart disease. In an attempt to remove the influence of pre-existing conditions and socioeconomic factors on the results the researchers made adjustments to reflect this; the results still showed a strong link between brushing teeth and heart disease.

Explanation of this Link between Brushing Teeth and Heart Disease

The way that brushing teeth and heart disease are related is due to the effects of inflammation on the arteries in the body. Inflammation is a response the body makes when it believes it is under attack; gum disease can cause this type of response in the mouth. The effect of inflammation like this is that it causes arteries to become clogged thus increasing the risk of a heart attack. Many of those in the study who failed to brush their teeth regularly were shown to have inflammation related proteins in their blood.

More research will be needed before scientists understand the link between brushing teeth and heart disease in more detail. In the meantime there seems to be enough information already to encourage us to take care of our teeth and gums by brushing twice a day. This might not only ensure that we have a nice smile but that we live for longer as well.

Sources

BBC article - Brush teeth to 'prevent' heart disease
Scientific American - Failure to brush your teeth twice a day increases risk of heart disease