February is National Heart Month and at Dental Rooms we know all too well the importance of looking after our oral hygiene which can impact our heart’s health. Oral health is a key indicator of overall wellbeing and quality of life; poor dietary habits combined with a hectic daily schedule mean that we need to be mindful of the risks and lasting effect that insufficient attention to our oral hygiene, can have on our cardiovascular health.

Recent studies have found that dental infections in children could be indicative of heart disease in adulthood; and that brushing our teeth three or more times per day can lower the risk of heart disease by 10% and the risk of heart failure by 12%. However, only 29% of Brits only brush their teeth once a day, and 2% don’t brush their teeth at all.

Dr Dev Patel, Specialist in Prosthodontics & Oral Surgery and Partner at award-winning Dental Rooms, comments
“We do not immediately associate heart ailments with dental hygiene. These findings confirm a hard truth about the significance of protecting our teeth and getting regular preventive check-ups with our dentist. At the same time it’s encouraging that, by increasing the frequency with which we brush our teeth, we can ensure better oral hygiene and lower the risk of dental infections that might affect our general health.”

Dr Patel also emphasises the importance of urging children to take up regular tooth brushing from a young age.

“It’s not an easy task to persuade children to brush their teeth three times per day, but starting early means it will become a habit that will last a lifetime. At Dental Rooms we have introduced a Tooth Brushing Academy where children learn about keeping their teeth healthy and also get a one-to-one tooth brushing masterclass with one of our experts.”

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*https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-kids-mouth/dental-infections-in-kids-tied-to-heart-disease-risk-in-adulthood-idUKKCN1S62L6
**https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2017/10/23/three-ten-brits-only-brush-their-teeth-once-day
***https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327208.php#1