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A toothbrush with toothpaste sits on a sink in Arlington, Virginia, in
2007.[Agencies]
Here's another reason to brush your teeth: poor dental hygiene boosts the
risk of heart attacks and stroke
s, a pair of studies reported this week.
Heart disease is the number one killer worldwide, claiming upward of 17
million lives every year, according to the World Health Organization.
Smoking, obesity and high cholesterol are the most common culprits, but the
new research shows that neglected gums can be added to the list.
"We now recognize that bacterial infections are an independent risk factor
for heart diseases," said Howard Jenkins of the University of Bristol in
Britain, at a meeting of the Society for General Microbiology in Dublin.
"In other words, it doesn't matter how fit, slim or healthy you are, you're
adding to your chances of getting heart disease by having bad teeth," the
professor said.
There are up to 700 different bacteria in the human mouth, and failing to
scrub one's pearly whites helps those germs to flourish.
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