Oral Hygiene Linked to Heart Attack Risk

While the debate on how many times a day we should brush our teeth and floss has not yet been closed, arguably, most of us do it twice or three times a day. A new study comes now to show that, as we’re doing so, we’re not only promoting gum health and keeping our pearly teeth white, but also diminishing the risk of getting a heart attack, as MSNBC informs.

Researchers at the University of Buffalo in New York have compared the cases of heart attack survivors with those of people who have never had one, in what is just the latest study to link dental hygiene to overall health. The findings revealed that all 386 individuals with heart issues had considerably more bacteria in their mouth than the 840 subjects who did not have a heart-problem history.

When they attempted to determine just which species of bacteria was the most dangerous, the researchers found that it was not the type that mattered, but the number.

“The message here is that even though some specific periodontal pathogens have been found to be associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, the total bacterial pathogenic burden is more important than the type of bacteria. In other words, the total number of ‘bugs’ is more important than one single organism.” Oelisoa Andriankaja, lead researcher, explains for the aforementioned publication.

As noted above, this is just one of the many studies conducted on the topic that links oral hygiene to overall health, and especially heart conditions. Even if researchers have not yet come up with irrefutable proof as to how the bacteria in our mouth may be linked to heart attacks, previous studies have shown that gum issues can be connected to heart problems, MSNBC further informs. “Bacteria may set off general inflammation that in turn causes blood to clot,” the media outlet explains.

The message researchers are trying to send is clear though: we should brush our teeth and floss to reduce the number of bacteria in our mouth and, at the same time, the risk of having a heart attack.