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	Giving your teeth a thorough brush to remove plaque can help prevent heart attacks and strokes by reducing inflammation in the body, according to new research.</p>
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	The study by scientists in Florida Atlantic University in the US found it has almost the same effect as taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins.</p>
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	The added benefits of good tooth-brushing were backed yesterday by dentists in the Irish Dental Association.</p>
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	President of the Irish Dental Association, Dr PJ Byrne, said that improving oral hygiene by better, more efficient brushing and cleaning between the teeth is likely to have a systemic health benefit.</p>
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	He said: &quot;Current research also indicates that this benefit is not just confined to cardiac disease but is also relevant to many other &#39;inflammatory conditions&#39; or diseases that commonly affect patients, such as diabetes, arthritis and Crohn&#39;s disease.</p>
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	&quot;Periodontal disease is very prevalent and gets more common with age.</p>
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	&quot;It has been linked to coronary heart disease and shares a number of risk factors with cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases,&quot; he added.</p>
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	&quot;The risk factors include age, gender, socio-economic status, chronic inflammatory diseases, obesity and smoking.</p>
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	&quot;Dental professionals have the potential to influence modifiable risk factors and lifestyle choices and therefore reduce the burden of not just oral disease but, importantly, improve general health.</p>
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	&quot;It is important to stress that maintaining good oral health is an integral part of achieving a more holistic, healthy lifestyle,&quot; he said.</p>
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	He was commenting after the study from Florida Atlantic University recommended that the effects should now be researched in a larger number of people.</p>
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	These include individuals who already have heart disease and need to prevent heart attacks and strokes.</p>
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	(Published by the Irish Independent on the 20th October 2016)</p>
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	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/brushing-teeth-helps-to-cut-heart-attack-risk-35145620.html">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/brushing-teeth-helps-to-cut-heart-attack-risk-35145620.html</a></p>
