While most of us consider the practical and aesthetic considerations to having healthy teeth, it now turns out that there is more to a smile than meets the eye, especially when it comes to our overall health. Researchers have determined that cardiovascular health and coronary heart disease are actually related to the state of a person’s oral health. In other words, the more original teeth that that a person retains, the lower their chance of dying from heart disease, thus giving new meaning to the expression, “Teeth should last a lifetime.”

Previous research had suggested a link between the health of our mouths and cardiovascular disease, but the current findings are the first to describe a direct relationship between heart health and the state of our “chompers.” In fact, according to the study, a person who has fewer than 10 of their own, original teeth has a seven-fold greater risk of dying form coronary heart disease than a person who has 25 or more of their original teeth.

In the study in question, published in the Journal of Periodontology, scientists surveyed over 7,600 men and women, most of whom were experiencing some form of periodontal disease. Over the course of 12 years, they followed these people and recorded the cause of death in those who passed away during this period. Of the 629 deaths that occurred, 299 of them were from cardiovascular disease.

The understanding of the relationship between oral health and heart disease is not a new one. The reasoning goes that bacteria and infections that occur in the mouth can travel through the blood and infect the heart, causing low grade inflammation, which is a known risk factor for heart disease. The condition of a person’s teeth is therefore a reflection of how much chronic inflammation a person is exposed to over the course of their lifetime.

The authors of the study acknowledge that there were some limitations to their findings, including the fact that they were unable to adjust their results to consider socio-economic factors. Nonetheless, their results lend support to the importance of good oral practices as a way to maintain good overall health, especially where heart disease is concerned.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women in this country, as well as the world. Half of all deaths attributed to heart disease were women. Every year, over 780,000 Americans experience their first heart attack, and an additional 470,000 people who have experienced a heart attack have another.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that this year, heart disease will cost Americans over $316 billion in health care costs, medications, and losses in productivity.

If you have questions or concerns about heart disease, talk to your doctor, or visit the website for the CDC. For more information about heart disease and oral health, visit the website for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Heart Association.