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| » Failing To Brush Twice A Day May Increase Heart Disease Risk |
16 June 2010
The UK's Press Association Press Association (5/28) reports, "People who fail to brush their teeth twice a day have a higher chance of heart disease," according to a study by researchers in the UK. The paper in BMJ "backs previous work showing a link between gum disease and heart problems," BBC News (5/28, Wilkinson) reports. Indeed, it is well "known that inflammation in the body, including in the mouth and gums, has an important role in the build up of clogged arteries, which can lead to a heart attack." This is, however, the "first time that researchers have looked at whether the frequency of teeth brushing has any bearing on the risk of developing heart disease."
The team at the University College London began by analyzing "data for more than 11,000 people with an average age of 50 taking part in the Scottish Health Survey," the UK's Daily Mail (5/28, Hope) reports. "Participants were asked how often they visited their dentist and how often they brushed their teeth, and medical histories were taken."
The team eventually noted that "62% of participants said they went to a dentist every six months," while "71% said they brushed their teeth twice a day," WebMD (5/27, Hendrick) reported. "After adjusting the data for cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, smoking, social class, and family heart disease history, the researchers found that people who admitted to brushing their teeth less frequently had a 70% extra risk of heart disease." Those who "reported poor oral hygiene also tested positive for bloodstream inflammatory markers, such as fibrinogen and C-reactive protein."
The researchers were quick to point out that they had "not established a causal relationship," HealthDay (5/27, Gardner) reported. Still, one expert commented, "it's nice to have one more reason to brush your teeth." AFP (5/28) and Reuters (5/28, Kelland) also cover the study.
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