The advice on heart health tips is abundant in February, traditionally celebrated as Heart Month.
The constant reminders that cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death in the Western world are crucial. Educating the public on the research showing that up to 80% of heart deaths are preventable by not smoking, eating a plant heavy diet, and obtaining regular fitness is always of importance. Has we learned anything new to add to those health habits to further advance the prevention of heart disease? Although not a new concept, the link between oral care and heart care is stronger than ever. Indeed, when you brush and floss your teeth, you might consider it to be brushing and flossing your heart!
The newest data linking heart and oral health has been coming from researchers in Korea and other international centers.
1) In a massive study published in late 2018, the National Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS), the only insurance provider in Korea, reported on an oral health screening program provided to participant. Data of 247,696 healthy adults were used for an analysis. During follow up of nearly 10 years, there were cardiovascular (CV) events in 14,893 study participants. The key findings of this data were that:
The self-reported questionnaires suggested that about 30% of participants had periodontal disease, 20% at least one dental caries, and 25% had lost one or more teeth.
