Oral health and heart health are linked in some surprising ways.
Gum disease — and the inflammation it causes — can have negative consequences for the heart, studies have found.
It may also be connected to high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. Plus, bacteria that live in the mouth can cause an infection that may spread to the heart, potentially leading to problems.
So it’s tempting to include harsh mouthwash as part of your oral health routine to get rid of all the bacteria in your mouth, but a cardiologist advises against it.
Dr. Jeremy London is a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon in Savannah, Georgia, who skips alcohol-based mouthwash as part of the six things he avoids for his own heart health.
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Heart Doctor Tip of the Day: Skip Harsh Mouthwash
Alcohol-based mouthwash that promises to kill virtually all the germs in the mouth can impact blood pressure, London says.
“You can actually increase your blood pressure simply by killing the bacteria in the mouth,” London previously told TODAY.com. “And if you have a propensity to having high blood pressure, that can even be worse.”
Why It Matters
The mouth contains the largest microbial community in humans besides the gut, and this ecosystem is “crucial to health,” researchers note.
Good bacteria in the mouth help the body produce nitric oxide, which is involved in dilating blood vessels and keeping blood pressure in check, London explains.
But antibacterial mouthwash also kills the beneficial bugs, interrupting that process.
Regular use of mouthwash was associated with increased risk of high blood pressure, independent of major risk factors for hypertension, a study found.
There is “unequivocal evidence” that disrupting the oral microbiome by using antiseptic mouthwash will suppress nitric oxide production and negatively impact blood pressure, researchers wrote in another journal.
How To Get Started
Dr. Kami Hoss, author of “If Your Mouth Could Talk,” recommends using an alkaline mouthwash, which is alcohol-free.
Other experts advise most people to skip mouthwash altogether.
“I don’t think there’s good evidence for the usefulness of any kind of mouthwash in a healthy person to use every day,” microbiologist Jessica Mark Welch, Ph.D., previously told TODAY.com. She studies the oral microbiome at the ADA Forsyth Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“I wouldn’t use any mouthwash at all. Your saliva is designed to maintain the healthy community in your mouth, the healthy bacteria in your mouth.”
TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.
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