Can frequent tooth brushing reduce atrial fibrillation?

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Frequent Tooth Brushing May Reduce the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation

A large-scale observational study involving over 161,000 South Koreans suggests that brushing teeth three or more times daily is associated with a 10 per cent reduction in the risk of developing atrial fibrillation. This finding emerged from an analysis of health data from individuals aged 40 to 79 who had no prior history of heart disease.
Study Design and Participants

The research, conducted by doctors at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, utilised data from the South Korean national health system, focusing on routine medical examinations conducted between 2003 and 2004. The study cohort comprised 161,286 participants who were monitored over a median period of 10.5 years. The collected information included details on participants' height, weight, laboratory test results, existing medical conditions, lifestyle habits, and oral health status.
Incidence of Cardiovascular Conditions

Over the course of the study, a total of 4,911 participants, representing 3 per cent of the cohort, were diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Additionally, 7,971 participants, or 4.9 per cent, developed heart failure during the observation period. These figures were analysed to determine the impact of various factors, including tooth brushing frequency, on the development of these cardiovascular conditions.
Association Between Brushing Frequency and Health Outcomes

The analysis revealed a significant association between frequent tooth brushing and a reduced incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Participants who reported brushing their teeth three or more times each day experienced a 10 per cent lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation and a 12 per cent lower risk of heart failure. These associations were found to be independent of other potential influencing factors such as age, gender, socio-economic status, regular exercise, alcohol consumption, and body mass index.
Potential Mechanism

While the precise biological mechanism remains to be fully elucidated, researchers hypothesise that frequent tooth brushing may play a role in reducing the concentration of oral bacteria situated between the teeth and gums. By lowering bacterial load, this practice could potentially prevent the translocation of these bacteria into the bloodstream, thereby mitigating their impact on systemic circulation and potentially reducing inflammation, which is increasingly recognised as a factor in cardiovascular disease.

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Can frequent tooth brushing reduce atrial fibrillation?

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