Recently I read an article that claimed there was a link between regularly brushing your teeth and heart disease.
Now, this is not the first time I’ve heard people make this claim.
But the real question, to me at least, is this — is there an established link between good oral hygiene and heart disease?
Because I’ve heard both sides of this story now, some claiming that there is a link while some deny that any link exists.
Oral hygiene and heart health
Even some dentists have weighed in on the debate.
For example, Dr. Ron Linden, a dentist in Connecticut, acknowledges that though the mouth is obviously connected to the rest of the body “there is no causative link between both diseases.”
Is he right?
Well, according to a recent study it seems that regularly brushing your teeth can prevent clogged arteries, which is well known to be a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.
It turns out that a bacteria which forms in our mouth leads to clogged arteries. And regularly brushing and flossing of your teeth (twice a day) can help to eliminate this bacteria, hence preventing Peripheral Arterial Disease.
In fact, according to researchers from the Mailman School of Public Health at New York’s Columbia University whose three year study investigated the link between gum health and atherosclerosis, the healthier your gums are the healthier your arteries became.
What’s more, research has shown that poor dental hygiene and bleeding gums can allow up to 700 types of bacteria to enter your bloodstream.
So though it may seem far fetched to link healthy gums with a healthy heart, the evidence seems to suggest that one simply way to prevent strokes and heart attacks is by regularly visiting your dentist, and taking matters into your own hands by brushing twice a day.
Schedule a medical assessment today
Perhaps now is the best time to schedule an appointment with your doctor regarding your heart health.
And if you’re looking for Connecticut Cardiology clinics or services, consider HeartCare Associates. They have 6 convenient locations in the greater New Haven area, and provide comprehensive medical assessments and services that are designed to improve quality of life and to optimize treatments that improve survival rates.
In fact, their focus is on early detection and prevention.
For more information visit them online at www.heartcareassoc.com.
And for readers in other parts of the country take the time to locate a clinic near you that can help you identify specific risk factors for heart disease.
This is, after all, the best way to prevent a heart attack from happening in the first place.