US researchers have found “significant” evidence linking tooth loss to an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD). Moreover, those with several lost teeth face an even higher chance of dying from heart disease.
The team from Case Western Reserve University conducted an exhaustive literature review—scouring more than a dozen respected scholarly research journals to see whether a connection exists between losing teeth and dying from CVD.
While the causal association between oral and cardiovascular disease is not well-understood, lead researcher Prof Anita Aminoshariae said the link is generally believed to be a “predictive risk factor”.
“Our findings clearly show that tooth loss is not just a dental issue, but a significant predictor of cardiovascular disease mortality,” Prof Aminoshariae said.
“Maintaining good oral health is essential, not only for a healthy smile, but also for a healthy heart. This study underscores the importance of regular dental check-ups and preventive care to reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events.”
Among the findings published in the Journal of Endodontics:
- Overall connection: People who lost several teeth had a 66 per cent higher chance of dying from heart-related issues compared to those who didn’t.
- Variability in studies: While results from the studies vary, overall, they still pointed to the same conclusion.
- For people who had lost all their teeth, the risk of dying from CVD was much higher, and the results were consistent across the studies. For those with fewer than 10 teeth left, there was also a higher risk of CVD mortality, but the results varied more between the studies.
“The magic number is 10. For those who had 10 teeth or less, they’re in trouble,” Prof Aminoshariae said.
