Poor dental hygiene can break your heart. Literally.
The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, which has operated continuously since 1987 with funding through 2028, has found that sub-par dental hygiene is associated with higher risk of stroke and atrial fibrillation (AFib). The findings were presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2025 held in Los Angeles from Feb 5-7.
“This goes along with an increasing body of literature suggesting that dental plaque is a major trigger for dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease,” says board certified internist Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, whose clinical practice and research over the past 35 years have focused on low-cost, effective, preventive therapies for common chronic illnesses. “So, add brushing and flossing to the list of things you can do to prevent dementia, stroke and heart disease. They’re simple, take minimal time, and the benefits are huge.”
Researchers analyzed the data from 6,000 participants in the ARIC study, and 4,092, or around 65 percent, reported flossing. Compared to those who did not report flossing, flossers experienced a 22 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke and a 44 percent lower risk of cardioembolic stroke.
Flossing was also associated with a 12 percent lower risk of AFib, the most common form of irregular heartbeat, and also the leading cause of cardioembolic strokes.
Cardiovascular disease remains the #1 cause of death in the U.S., with one person dying from CVD every 34 seconds. “Adding a proven method to reduce the risk—something as simple as flossing—makes very good medical and self-care sense,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. “Reducing inflammation in the gums is a clear path to reducing body-wide inflammation, and that’s a smart strategy for protecting heart and brain health.”
Please let me know if you’d like to speak with Dr. Teitelbaum about simple self-care strategies to prevent dementia and CVD.
For more background, see Dr. Teitelbaum’s overview on inflammation.
Final word? FLOSS!
