Newsletter Issue 1 - News

Heart Risk Rises With Poor Dental Hygiene

Here's another reason to brush your teeth: Poor dental hygiene can boost the risk of heart attack and stroke, a study has recently reported.

Heart disease is the number one killer worldwide claiming upward of 17 million lives every year, according to the World Health Organisation in 2008.

Commonly, smoking, obesity and high cholesterol are to blame for most cases but the new research shows that neglected gums can be added to the list.

"We now recognise that bacterial infections are an independent risk factor for heart diseases," said Howard Jenkins of the University of Bristol in Britain, at a meeting of the Society for General Microbiology in Dublin.

"In other words, it doesn't matter how fit, slim or healthy you are, you're adding to your chances of getting heart disease by having bad teeth," the professor said.

There are up to 700 different bacteria in the human mouth, and failing to scrub one's pearly whites helps those germs to flourish. Most are benign, and some are essential to good health. But a few can trigger a biological cascade leading to diseases of the arteries linked to heart attacks and stroke, according to the new research.

Preventative dentistry ensures that you maintain your dental health and now there is direct evidence that you are helping your entire body.

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