It’s all about preventing the spread of bad bacteria that causes inflammation.
Using your good ole’ brush-and-paste does more for you than clear plaque and bacteria from your mouth. Apparently, it’s been loosely linked to lower rates of heart trouble.
A study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology has suggested that if you don’t clean your teeth regularly, it could lead to bacteria in your blood. This could cause inflammation in your body. This, in turn, could lead to an irregular heartbeat otherwise known as atrial fibrillation, and heart failure.
The study was done in Korea, and studied 161, 286 people who were participants in the Korean National Health Insurance System. Participants were aged 40 to 79, and had no prior history of atrial fibrillation.
The study’s senior author was quick to point out the study results don’t really prove that good oral hygiene and great heart health are linked. But they could indicate a possible link.
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Participants overall health was studied in 2003 and 2004, including their tooth brushing behaviors. About 10 years later, a follow-up physical exam was done. It was found that people who brush their teeth three or more times each day had a 10% lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation, and a 12% lower risk of heart failure.
Do those who carry a toothbrush with them all day just take better care of their bodies, in general? It could be.
“It is certainly too early to recommend tooth brushing for the prevention of atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. Tae-Jin Song of Ewha Woman’s University, Seoul, Korea.
He did add this, though: “We studied a large group over a long period, which adds strength to our findings.”
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