Brushing teeth regularly is linked with a lower risk of atrial fibrillation (A-fib) and heart failure, according to a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Researchers suggest that poor oral hygiene can lead to bacteria in the blood, causing inflammation in the body which increases the risk of A-fib or irregular heartbeat and heart failure.
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The study was conducted on 161,286 people between the ages of 40 and 79 who had no history of A-fib or heart failure. During the research, participants were asked questions about their lifestyle, oral health and oral hygiene habits. They also underwent some laboratory tests, which included blood tests, urine tests and blood pressure readings.
Over a median follow-up of 10.5 years, around 3.0% of participants developed A-fib while 4.9% suffered from heart failure. As per the findings, brushing teeth three or more times a day can reduce the risk of A-fib by 10% and lower the risk of heart failure by 12%.
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