Everyone knows brushing your teeth is good for your smile, but new data suggests it might fight heart disease. Researchers have found an association between bacteria in the mouth that causes periodontal disease and heart disease.The study authors say their findings are the first to report an association between cardiovascular disease and the bacteria involved in gum disease.The Columbia University study led by Dr. Moise Desvarieux found people with high amounts of gum disease bacteria in their mouths also had thicker carotid arteries, a strong indication of stroke and heart attack.For their findings, the team measured oral bacteria levels and carotid artery thickness in 657 older adults with no history of heart attack or stroke.After adjusting their data for risk factors that might skew their data, such as smoking and diabetes, the team found the higher the levels of four periodontal disease causing bacteria, the more likely people were to have thicker carotid arteries.The four types of bacteria associated with heart disease are, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticolaTheir research appears in the journal Circulation.
