SEOUL: Brushing teeth three or more times a day may be associated with a lower risk of irregular heartbeat and heart failure, according to a study carried out in South Korea.
Previous studies suggest that poor oral hygiene leads to bacteria in the blood, causing inflammation in the body, the researchers said.
Inflammation increases the risks of atrial fibrillation or irregular heartbeat, and heart failure — a condition where the heart’s ability to pump blood or relax, and fill with blood is impaired, they said.
The latest study, published on Monday in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, examined the connection between oral hygiene and occurrence of these two conditions.
The research enrolled 161,286 participants of the Korean National Health Insurance System aged 40 to 79 with no history of atrial fibrillation or heart failure.
Participants underwent a routine medical examination between 2003 and 2004.
Information was collected on height, weight, laboratory tests, illnesses, lifestyle, oral health, and oral hygiene behaviours.
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