- Cardiovascular disease, including stroke, remains the leading cause of death among Americans.
- New research suggests that flossing and maintaining good oral health may help reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke related to blood clots.
- Flossing is a simple, inexpensive habit that's easy to incorporate into your daily routine.
Cardiovascular disease, including stroke, remains the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Lifestyle interventions, including healthy dietary changes and regular physical activity, are among the most effective prevention methods for cardiovascular disease (CVD) .
A lesser-known tactic involves a secret weapon you may already have in your medicine cabinet: dental floss.
Flossing should be part of any regular oral care routine, but it could also have important benefits for heart and brain health.
New research shows that regular flossing was associated with a significantly lower risk of certain types of stroke and atrial fibrillation (AF) . The results are presented in the
"We know that gum disease and tooth decay are risk factors for stroke and heart attack . "It is already known that flossing reduces heart attack rates," said Dr. Souvik Sen, MPH, chair of the department of neurology at Prisma Health Richland Hospital and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, told HealthLine. .
"Our research suggests that flossing can reduce the risk of stroke and that more frequent flossing results in greater reductions in stroke rates."
Researchers analyzed data from more than 6,000 participants in the ongoing Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort study, which began in 1987. The study uses a comprehensive questionnaire to assess various lifestyle factors and behaviors related to atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries). . .
Sen and his team were particularly interested in the association between flossing and cardiovascular disease outcomes, independent of other oral care factors such as tooth brushing and regular dental visits.
Approximately 65% of the cohort (4,092) reported flossing. Over a 25-year follow-up period, 434 participants suffered a stroke, 97 of whom were diagnosed with a specific subtype called cardioembolic stroke , in which ablood clot travels from the heart to the brain .
Compared to those who did not report flossing, those who flossed had a 22% lower risk of ischemic stroke and a 44% lower risk of cardioembolic stroke.
Flossing was also associated with a 12% lower risk of atrial fibrillation, the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia. Atrial fibrillation is also the most common cause of cardioembolic strokes.
"Awareness of the role of inflammation in the development of atrial fibrillation is growing and it will be interesting to conduct further research into this connection and, if true, the possible mechanism," said Rod Passman, MD, professor of medicine and director of Das Arrhythmia Northwestern University Research Center, which was not involved in the research, told Healthline.
"Studies like this are limited by self-reporting and the potential for confusion: people who floss also engage in other activities that could be good for their heart and that may not be measured in the study," Passman warned.
The mechanism by which flossing may reduce the risk of stroke is still unclear, but researchers are studying the role of it
"Oral health behaviors are linked to inflammation and hardening of the arteries. "Flossing can reduce the risk of stroke by reducing oral infections and inflammation and promoting other healthy habits," the senator said.
Periodontitis is an inflammatory gum disease that can lead to chronic inflammation .
As with other forms of inflammation, there is evidence that periodontitis may be linked to cardiovascular disease. The link also suggests that good oral health habits such as brushing and flossing could be a potential lifestyle factor that reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Researchers explored further links between oral and intestinal health and stroke risk and presented their findings this week at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference.
Lead researcher Shuichi Tonomura, MD, a physician in the department of neurology at the National Center for Cerebral and Cardiovascular Diseases in Osaka, Japan, noted an apparent link between the presence of Streptococcus anginosus bacteria and stroke.
Streptococcus anginosus normally lives in the oral and intestinal microbiota , but Tonomura and his team found that it was abundant in the gut of stroke survivors.
In fact, the amount of Streptococcus anginosus in saliva and gut was associated with a higher risk of stroke and worse outcomes, including death and other major cardiovascular events, after a stroke.
"I would like to suggest that studying gut microbiota patterns may be helpful in assessing stroke risk and prognosis," Tonomura told Healthline.
Tonomura and Sen's research illuminates the complex relationship between oral health and cardiovascular disease and points to new areas of prevention research.
Tonomura suggested that Streptococcus anginosus could one day serve as a biomarker to determine stroke risk and that combating harmful bacteria through appropriate oral health strategies could reduce stroke risk.
According to Sen, regular flossing can also be a relatively easy way to improve oral health and prevent cardiovascular disease.
"Flossing could be an additional, cost-effective health behavior that could be adapted to prevent a stroke ," the senator said.
Doctors attributed nearly a million deaths to cardiovascular disease in 2022, the most recent year included in the study
To put it more concretely: On average, a person in the USA dies from cardiovascular disease every 34 seconds.
"Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, a trend that has continued for more than a century," corresponding author Latha P. Palaniappan, MD, FAHA, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford, told HealthLine Medicine .
Cardiovascular disease accounts for more deaths than all forms of cancer and accidental deaths (including drug overdoses and car accidents), the second and third leading causes of death in the United States combined.
By making significant, concrete changes to improve your overall health, you can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. For better heart health, Palaniappan suggested following the AHA's recommendations.
- eat better
- be more active
- stop smoking
- Sleep well
- Control weight
- Control cholesterol levels
- Control blood sugar
- Blood pressure management
Cardiovascular disease, including stroke, remains the leading cause of death among Americans. Modifiable risk factors, including diet and exercise, continue to play a critical role in risk reduction.
Researchers are focusing on the role of poor oral health as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease. On the contrary, good oral health habits like flossing can reduce the risk, new research shows.
Flossing can be an easy and inexpensive way to reduce the risk of certain forms of cardiovascular disease, such as atrial fibrillation and stroke.
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