from American Heart Association Scientific Sessions
How important are regular dental cleanings? A study involving more than one hundred thousand people was presented to the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions. Those who had their teeth professionally cleaned had a twenty-four percent lower risk of heart attacks and thirteen percent lower risk of strokes compared to those who never had a dental cleaning. The Taiwanese researchers say the apparent protection from heart disease and stroke was greatest in those who had dental cleaning and scraping at least once a year. Even more pronounced was the relationship between periodontal disease or infection of the gums and heart disease. Those in the study with higher incidence of gum infection had more than fifty percent greater risk of heart attack than those with the least amount of infection.