Poor oral hygiene increases risk of heart attack and stroke

Oral hygiene

Oral health is important for patients with malignant cancers, respiratory, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases

Is there a correlation between brushing your teeth and having a heart attack? A recent study published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports tries to explain whether the daily frequency of tooth brushing increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients aged 20 years or older. In this research, 1,675 participants were analyzed for two years and 11 months.

Conducted at Osaka University Hospital, Japan, the study separated participants into four groups with different habits. All of them were hospitalized on site, whether for examination, surgery or treatment of some illness.

Research in this field on the subject has already pointed to the importance of oral health in patients with malignant cancers, as well as respiratory, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases. However, factors such as frequency and duration of brushing were not studied in depth.

The first group, named MN, brushed their teeth twice a day, upon waking up and before going to sleep, while the second group, named Night, reported brushing their teeth only at night. The third group, M, reported brushing their teeth only in the mornings. While the fourth group, None, did not brush their teeth during the day.

The influence of brushing

Several factors that could influence the brushing routine and general health were evaluated, such as age, gender and smoking history. In the results, found in the patients’ blood sample, the two groups with the highest survival rates compared to the None group were the MN and Night groups.

The most important finding of the research indicates that periodontal disease, the most serious case of gum inflammation that can be caused by poor oral hygiene, is the main villain. Its worst consequence is the development of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke. In addition, it can cause teeth to rot, causing them to fall out, impairing chewing.

In this way, the authors emphasize the importance of brushing in the morning and evening, not just one of the two. They point to the risks of increased bacterial load in the mouth during the night due to the decrease in saliva.

*With information from Folha de Pernambuco

Read more:

Health monitors diseases during the Folk Festival

Disease causes woman to lose all teeth during pregnancy

Government announces BRL 200 million for mental health in 2023