Brushing teeth twice a day may keep heart disease at bay

Findings of the study suggest those who brush their teeth less often are more prone to heart disease risk compared to others who are more conscious about their dental health.

Research done in the past has also found a strong association between poor oral health and heart disease.

11000 adults analyzed
To reach this conclusion, researchers from England looked at data on more than 11,000 adults, participants of a Scottish Health Survey.

For the study, the researchers examined the lifestyle habits of the all the participants such as smoking, physical activity, and oral health routines.

The participants were also inquired on how often they visited a dentist and brushed their teeth.

To arrive at concrete results, information about medical and family history of heart disease, blood pressure and blood samples were also collected.

The participants were then followed for eight years.

Outcome of the study
On analysis, the researchers found that six out of 10, nearly 62 percent of the participants, were concerned about their oral health and visited a dentist every six months.

Further, seven out of 10, nearly 70 percent of the participants, reported brushing their teeth twice a day.

The results remained similar even after accounting heart disease risk factors such as social class, obesity, smoking, and family history etc.

On the other hand, those who brushed their teeth less frequently or had never visited a dentist even in six months time frame were shown to test positive in blood samples for proteins which are suggestive of inflammation.

"Our results confirmed and further strengthened the suggested association between oral hygiene and the risk of cardiovascular disease," Richard Watt, DDS, of University College London, was quoted by WebMD as saying. "Furthermore, inflammatory markers were significantly associated with a very simple measure of poor oral health behavior.”

More research required
Despite promising outcome of the study, researchers have outlined the need for more research to confirm the findings.

They say it is yet not certain whether gum disease directly causes heart disease or is just a causal risk factor.

However, experts believe that poor oral health may cause inflammation, which in turn, may result in clogged arteries that can cause heart attack.

Therefore, one should consider brushing his/her teeth twice a day, as such a habit could go a long way in reducing heart disease risk, they recommend.

Findings of the study have been published in British Medical Journal.