Keeping your mouth healthy may help keep your heart and brain healthy too, according to new research.
In a study published Wednesday in Neurology Open Access, researchers found adults with gum disease may be more likely to have signs of damage to the brain’s white matter than people without gum disease.
“Gum disease is associated with a higher chance of inflammation, and inflammation has been tied to atherosclerosis as well as hardening of the small blood vessels, as we saw in this study,” study author Dr. Souvik Sen told CBS News. Arteriosclerosis is a disease that causes abnormal thickening of the artery walls.
In another study led by Sen and published in the same journal Wednesday, researchers found having both gum disease and cavities is linked to an 86% increased risk of stroke compared to people with healthy mouths.
“What the study suggested was that if you have cavities on top of gum disease, it is double trouble. It means your risk of stroke or adverse heart event doubles,” Sen said.
But, if someone takes care of their mouth — including brushing, flossing and regular dentist visits for preventative cleaning — risk decreases.
“Their risk of having a stroke dropped by as much as 81%, which is a very big finding,” Sen said of the research.
The research just shows an association, so it does not prove that poor oral health causes strokes — but these findings add to growing evidence that oral health may have a significant impact on cardiovascular health.
With 3.5 billion people worldwide suffering from gum disease or cavities, according to the World Health Organization, researchers say prevention and treatment could be an important part of stroke prevention. According to the American Heart Association, more than 795,000 people have a stroke each year in the U.S.