The Correlation Between Teeth Brushing and Heart Disease

Brush twice a day for a healthy heart.
New research suggests people with poor oral hygiene have an increased risk of heart disease.

A sparkling smile isn’t the only reason you should be taking care of your teeth. A clean and healthy mouth may help protect your ticker. People with gum disease have higher amounts of harmful bacteria in their mouth that can get into the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body, such as the heart.

A new study that analyzed the oral hygiene habits of 11,000 people found that people who didn’t brush their teeth regularly had a 70 percent greater risk of heart disease than people who brushed twice a day. And that was after accounting for other risk factors like smoking, obesity and family history.

In addition to brushing and flossing in the morning and evening, be sure to see your dentist every six months.