Heart expert says brushing teeth is important

Brush regularly, floss and see your dentist every six months. Oddly, that familiar advice is -not- coming from a dentist this time. It’s from a heart expert. Neal Weintraub, director of the University of Iowa Heart Care Center, says new research shows a link between dental hygiene and a healthy heart.Doctor. Weintraub says there’s evidence good oral hygiene, like regular teeth cleanings, brushing and flossing, can lower a person’s C-R-P level, a blood test that can indicate a person’s risk for vascular disease. He says there appears to be a tie between people who don’t take good care of their teeth and those who have several heart problems. Weintraub says it appears chronic infections in the oral cavity may be releasing inflammatory “mediators” which can get into the blood vessels and aggravate vascular disease. He says everyone’s mouth is infested with all sorts of bacteria — that’s normal — but in some people it can be much worse. Weintraub says the bacterial burden can be very great, especially in areas under the gums where it’s hard to brush, clean and floss. He says bacteria can gather there and set up localized areas of infection, which can have a significant impact on a person’s health — including the blood vessels.