Heart-healthy living includes getting regular exercise, managing stress, limiting alcohol and red meat, practicing good sleep hygiene, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels. But one practice that’s equally as important yet often overlooked is dental care. New research suggests that certain oral hygiene habits can boost your cardiovascular health, specifically when it comes to stroke risk.
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Research found that oral hygiene can impact your cardiovascular health.
Much research has been conducted on oral hygiene and cardiovascular health.
Colgate explains it well: "As the Cleveland Clinic reports, research has shown that, if the oral bacteria responsible for gum disease find a way into the bloodstream, they may cause C-reactive protein levels to rise. This elevation can indicate inflammation in the blood vessels and, ultimately, signal an increase in that person's risk of stroke and heart disease."
A new preliminary study presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference indicates that adults can lower their risk of stroke with good oral hygiene. As for which habit (flossing, brushing, or visiting the dentist) has a more significant impact on cardiovascular health, the study’s author analyzed the oral hygiene behaviors of more than 6,000 adults.
"A recent global health report revealed that oral diseases—such as untreated tooth decay and gum disease—affected 3.5 billion people in 2022, making them the most widespread health conditions," said study lead author Souvik Sen, MD, in a press release. "We aimed to determine which oral hygiene behavior—dental flossing, brushing or regular dentist visits—has the greatest impact on stroke prevention."
Daily flossing was linked to lower risks of stroke and irregular heartbeat.
Not flossing can contribute to built-up bacteria and inflammation in and around the gums, increasing your stroke risk, per the study’s findings.
An at-home oral hygiene assessment found that 4,092 of the participants had no stroke prevalence, and 4,050 had no history of AFib (an irregular heartbeat). The common denominator? They all regularly flossed.
Participants were monitored over the course of 25 years, during which time flossing was linked with a 22 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke (when blood flow is cut off to the brain), 44 percent lower risk of cardioembolic stroke (when a blood clot forms in the heart), and 12 percent lower risk of AFib.
"Oral health behaviors are linked to inflammation and artery hardening. Flossing may reduce stroke risk by lowering oral infections and inflammation and encouraging other healthy habits," explained Sen. "Many people have expressed that dental care is costly. Flossing is a healthy habit that is easy to adopt, affordable and accessible everywhere."
However, a 2016 CDC survey found that over one-third of Americans never floss.
"When you're brushing, you're only getting certain surfaces of the tooth," Dee Dee Meevasin, DMD, owner of Dee for Dentist, previously shared with Best Life. "Flossing gets into those crevices where a brush cannot reach—under the gums and between the teeth—to mechanically remove bacteria."
RELATED: 6 Side Effects of Grinding Your Teeth at Night, Dentists Say.
The takeaway:
Routine flossing not only boosts dental health (preventing cavities and gum disease), but your cardiovascular health, too.
Looking towards the future, American Heart Association EPI and Stroke Council member
Daniel T. Lackland, DrPH, said he would like to see researchers dive into the correlation between specific dental health practices and other risk factors, including diet, physical activity, nicotine consumption, sleep, blood pressure, body mass, and more. Lackland was not involved in the study.
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