According to a new study published in a European journal, brushing your teeth three times a day may have a significant impact on heart health • The cause: Bacteria in the blood

• Multiple brushing may reduce the chance of heart disease // Photo: GettyImages

Brushing your teeth not only contributes to oral hygiene, but may also play a significant role in protecting our lives. This is how new research comes from South Korea.

The study, published this week in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, shows that brushing your teeth at least three times a day can have a significant impact on heart health.

It was held in battle with some 161,000 people in South Korea. Participants underwent a routine examination, and ten years later were tested again.

It turned out that those who were careful about oral hygiene three times a day - had a 12% lower risk of heart failure and a 10% lower risk of experiencing an irregular pulse (fibrillation) than those who did not. Researchers have been able to prove that the brushing effect is felt even when there are factors that impair heart function, such as excessive drinking or lack of exercise.

The reason: Bacteria in the blood

A possible explanation for this is that poor oral hygiene can cause bacteria in the blood, thereby also causing inflammation in other parts of the body, so brushing prevents or reduces the likelihood of it. And that's before we even say a word about the trivial importance of brushing - to the teeth themselves.