Regular Tooth Scaling = Less Heart Disease

Recent study results showed an association between regular tooth scaling and a decreased risk of future cardiovascular events.  Using a nationwide, population-based study and a prospective cohort design, participants aged at least 50 years were selected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.  Authors of the study, published in the American Journal of Medicine, used 10,887 subjects who had received full-mouth or localized tooth scaling and compared them to 10,989 subjects who had not received any tooth scaling.

Tooth Scaling and Heart Disease  

After following the subjects for an average period of seven years, the group that had undergone tooth scaling had a lower incidence of acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and total cardiovascular events.  "Furthermore, when compared with the nonexposed group, increasing frequency of tooth scaling correlated with a higher risk reduction of acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and total cardiovascular events," the authors wrote. 

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309