This simple habit of oral hygiene can help protect against stroke

Caring for oral hygiene is protected by teeth and gums, but benefits go beyond that – they can also help prevent stroke. However, brushing alone may not be enough. Scientists have found that threading at least once a week can significantly reduce the risk of stroke.

Previous studies associated the health of the oral cavity with a reduced risk of stroke, but in the latest study scientists assessed the specific effect of dental thread.

“The recent global health report revealed that oral diseases – such as the uninterested tooth distribution and gum disease – influenced 3.5 billion people in 2022, which makes them the most common health conditions. We tried to determine which behavior of oral hygiene – Floss teeth, brushing or regular dental visits – has the greatest impact on preventing stroke, “said the main author of the study Dr. Souvik Sen Wa press release.

Discoveries suggest that regular threading can reduce the risk of ischemic stroke by 22%(stroke with blood clots), cardiovascular stroke (caused by blood clots from the heart) by 44%and atrial fibrillation by 12%. These protective effects were independent of brushing teeth and other oral hygiene behavior.

The results will be presented at the International Stroke American Stroke Association 2025 in Los Angeles. The discoveries were based on the risk of atherosclerosis in communities (ARIC), the first large -scale study in the USA, which examined the relationship between threading and the risk of stroke. In the study, scientists surveyed over 6,000 people about their dental habits and followed their health in 25 years.

Among those who thread, 4092 never experienced stroke, and 4050 had no history of atrial fibrillation (AFIB), a joint arrhythmias. With time, 434 people suffered strokes, with various reasons from arterial locks to heart clots. In addition, 1291 participants were developed by AFIB.

The analysis revealed that the more often people threaded, the greater the reduction of the risk of stroke. Flossing was also associated with a lower probability of periodages and periodontal disease.

“Oral health behavior is associated with inflammation and hardening of the arteries. Flossing can reduce the risk of stroke by reducing oral infection and inflammation and encouraging other healthy habits. Many people have expressed that dental care is expensive. Nichera is a healthy habit that is easy to accept. Inexpensive and available everywhere – he explained.