Heart diseases also known as cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are one of the leading causes of death globally.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 17.9 million people die each year due to heart disease. Heart diseases are often referred to as conditions that cause the narrowing of or dysfunction of the blood vessels involved in supplying blood and oxygen to vital organs in the body.
In a study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, researchers found a link between brushing teeth and heart health, specifically, the two heart conditions known as atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF).
The researchers conducted a cohort study comprising 161,286 participants from the Korean National Health Insurance System with no history of atrial fibrillation, heart failure, or any other heart conditions.
Participants aged between 40-79 years underwent a routine medical exam between 2003-2004 and their weight, height, lifestyle questionnaire, laboratory tests, and blood pressure were recorded.
Frequent teeth brushing is associated with reduced risk of atrial fibrillation and heart failure
Of these participants, 3% (4911) developed atrial fibrillation, and 4.9% developed heart failure over a median follow-up of 10.5 years. The study reported that frequent teeth brushing (three times or more) reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation, by 10%, and heart failure, by 12%.
This research highlights the significance of oral hygiene in the prevention of heart conditions, however, the underlying mechanisms require further study.
It is important to note, that this study was limited to only one ethnic group and did not collect data regarding the number of dental visits by participants.
References:
Cardiovascular diseases. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/health-topics/cardiovascular-diseases/#tab=tab_1.
Chang, Y., Woo, H. G., Park, J., Lee, J. S., & Song, T.-J. (2019). Improved oral hygiene care is associated with decreased risk of occurrence for atrial fibrillation and heart failure: A nationwide population-based cohort study. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 204748731988601. doi: 10.1177/2047487319886018
Escardio. (n.d.). Brush your teeth to protect the heart. Retrieved from https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-12/esoc-byt112619.php.
Image by Bruno Glätsch from Pixabay
 are one of the leading causes of death globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 17.9 million people die each year due to heart disease. Heart diseases are often referred to as conditions that cause the narrowing of or dysfunction of the blood vessels involved in supplying blood and oxygen to vital organs in the body.){kind=link}