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In a recent study published in Scientific Reports, the researchers concluded that the frequency of brushing teeth influences the risk of heart disease.
The sample includes patients aged 20 and over who visited Osaka University Hospital in Japan. Specifically, the patients attended between April 2013 and March 2016 for an examination, surgery, or treatment of a heart disease. Also those who went to the dental unit to receive treatments, perioperative oral care and detection of infections.
The researchers divided people into four groups based on their oral hygiene habits. Those who brushed twice a day (upon getting up and going to bed), those who only brushed their teeth in the morning, those who only did so at night, and those who did not practice oral hygiene.
Other factors that were taken into account were age, gender, smoking history, dental and medical records. These data were contrasted with hospitalizations for heart failure, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris and valvular and aortic diseases requiring surgery.
The findings indicate that many middle-aged and older people did not brush their teeth at night. The main reason is that alcohol intake made them sleepy, before cleaning. However, in all the study groups, several people admitted not doing it due to lack of interest, learned habits or lifestyle.
Brushing can make a difference
The study revealed that people who brush twice a day or only at night have significantly higher survival rates. On the other hand, the prognosis for those who smoke or do not have any type of oral hygiene is usually worse.
The reason is that breakfast and lunch generate more intraoral deposits that remain in the mouth all day. In this way they increase the risk of having cavities and other periodontal diseases. Therefore, it is insufficient to just brush in the morning when you wake up.
Therefore, they conclude that Brushing your teeth at night is crucial to maintaining good oral health. In addition, they thus support the hypothesis that the bacterial load increases during sleep due to reduced salivary flow.
Researchers believe that lingering bacteria in the mouth are to blame for inflammation throughout the body, which can cause serious health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases.
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