Researches proved: professional tooth scaling reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes

Professional tooth scaling was associated with fewer heart attacks and strokes in a study from Taiwan, presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2011.

More than 100,000 people took part in the seven year study. Gender, age, and health conditions were all considered when accepting the participants. One half of them had their teeth professionally scarped and cleaned at least once a year, the other half had no tooth scaling.
None of the participants had a history of heart attack or stroke at the beginning of the study. Weight, smoking, and race were not adjusted in this research as they were not included in the Taiwan National Health insurance data base – the source of the information for the analysis.


A 24% lower risk of heart attack and 13% lower risk of stroke were found among people who had tooth scaling by a dentist, compared to those who had never had a dental cleaning.

Several types of the relationships were found between teeth that were regularly cared for by a dentist, and the risk of heart disease and stroke during several research studies:

• some kinds of periodontal diseases predict a degree of risk for heart attack, stroke, and heart failure

• bacterial growth caused by inflammation can lead to heart disease or stroke

According to the study, the importance of regular dental care was proven. Those with the highest incidence of gum bleeding had a 2.1% increased risk of stroke compared to those with the lowest incidence. Those with the least amount of teeth had a 2.5% increased risk of congestive heart failure compared to those with the most teeth. Those with a higher number of deepened periodontal pockets (infection of the gum around the base of the tooth) had a 53% increased risk of heart attack compared to those with the fewest pockets. In addition, people with less than 21 teeth had a 69% increased risk compared to those with the most teeth.