Brush your teeth to protect the heart
Recently European Journal of Preventive Cardiology of the European Society of Cardiology published a study according to which brushing teeth frequently is linked with lower risks of atrial fibrillation and heart failure.1
Previous research suggests that poor oral hygiene leads to bacteria in the blood, causing inflammation in the body. Inflammation increases the risks of atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and heart failure (the heart’s ability to pump blood or relax and fill with blood is impaired). This study examined the connection between oral hygiene and occurrence of these two conditions.
More than 160,000 participants aged 40 to 79 with no history of atrial fibrillation or heart failure were enrolled in the retrospective cohort study of the Korean National Health Insurance System. They underwent a medical examination between 2003 and 2004 and then had a follow-up witnin the next 10,5 years.
An accompanying editorial states: “It is certainly too early to recommend tooth brushing for the prevention of atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure”. It adds: “While the role of inflammation in the occurrence of cardiovascular disease is becoming more and more evident, intervention studies are needed to define strategies of public health importance.”2
Overall, it is safe to say that your health will greatly benefit from the regular teeth brushing.
Funding: This project was supported by a grant (2018R1D1A1B07040959) from the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education.
