Mouthwash can detect early cardiovascular disease: Study

Can your white blood cells in saliva actually detect cardiovascular disease? Read to find more!

A recent study published in the Frontiers in Oral Health stated that Periodontitis can be an indication of cardiovascular disease. 

What is Periodontitis?

It is a severe form of gum disease in which there is chronic inflammation of the gums, bones, and ligaments. It typically develops as a progression of an earlier and milder form of gingivitis. The key characteristics and features of periodontitis are inflammation, gum pocket formation, bone loss, and more, according to the study. 

What did the authors of the study say?

Scientists believe that the inflammatory factors may enter the bloodstream through the gums and damage the vascular system. 

For this study, the scientist studied young people without diagnosed periodontic issues to determine whether lower levels of oral inflammation can be clinically relevant to cardiovascular health. 28 nonsmokers between the ages of 18 to 30, with no comorbidities or medications that could affect cardiovascular disease and no history of periodontal disease were chosen for the study. They were asked to fast for six hours except for drinking water before visiting the lab. At the lab, they were asked to rinse their mouth with water before rinsing them out with saline, which was collected for analysis. The participants then laid down for an electrocardiogram and stayed lying down and stayed lying down for another 10 minutes so that their blood pressure, flow-mediated dilation, and pulse-wave velocity could be measured. 

The researchers also found that high blood white blood cells in saliva had a significant relationship with poor flow mediated dilation. This means that such people might be at elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, there was no relationship found between WBC’s and pulse wave velocity. I

“Even in young healthy adults, low levels of oral inflammatory load may have an impact on cardiovascular health — one of the leading causes of death in North America,” said Dr Trevor King of Mount Royal University, one of the authors of the paper. 

“We are starting to see more relationships between oral health and risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Ker-Yung Hong from the University of Western Ontario, first author of the study. 

“If we are seeing that oral health may have an impact on the risk of developing cardiovascular disease even in young healthy individuals, this holistic approach can be implemented earlier on.”

In short, the scientists hypothesised that inflammation from the mouth that leaks into the vascular system impacts the ability of the arteries. Hence, optimal oral hygiene is always recommended along with regular visits to the dentist.

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