Brush teeth twice a day 'to prevent heart disease'
Failing to brush your teeth twice a day can significantly increase the risk of developing heart disease, according to a new study.
Research found that those who brushed less often were 70 per cent more likely to develop the condition than those who were conscientious about cleaning their teeth morning and night.
Previous studies have shown a link between gum disease and heart disease.
The study is the first to assess how often a person has to brush their teeth to reduce the risk.
Professor Richard Watt, from University College London, who led the study, said: “Our results confirmed and further strengthened the suggested association between oral hygiene and the risk of (heart) disease."
The study looked at data on more than 11,000 adults.
All the volunteers were asked about their lifestyle behaviours, including how often they brushed their teeth.
Nurses also took information on medical history and family history of heart disease as well as blood pressure levels and blood samples.
The group were then followed for an average of eight years.
However, the researchers say that the overall risk to the heart from poor oral hygiene remained quite low.
And the findings suggest that most people are conscientious about brushing their teeth.
More than two thirds of the group, 71 per cent, told the researchers that they bushed their teeth at least twice a day.
The findings are published online by the British Medical Journal.
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