Maintaining good oral hygiene is crucial for those suffering from cardiovascular diseases, a study has found.

Previous studies have shown how important it is to take care of our mouth, especially before and after surgery for cancer or other diseases. They even focused on how the time of brushing is crucial for keeping teeth healthy but, do not include their role in other diseases like heart problems.

In the latest study carried out by Japan's Osaka University Hospital from April 2013 to March 2016, researchers looked at the tooth-brushing habits of 1,675 participants. The participants were either hospitalized or outpatients of the hospital's dental unit. They were divided into four groups based on their reported habits – Group MN brushed their teeth twice daily, once in the morning and once at night; Group Night only brushed their teeth at night; Group M only brushed their teeth in the morning and Group None did not brush their teeth at all. The purpose was to understand any potential differences related to these tooth-brushing behaviors, according to News Medical.

Groups Night and MN had the highest percentage of people (44.9% and 24%, respectively) who reported brushing their teeth after lunch. Researchers analyzed data of the patients based on their age, gender, smoking history and follow-up results. Dental and medical records were reviewed by four independent investigators. One dentist focused on factors like tooth-brushing habits, periodontal health, tooth mobility and tooth count. The focus was to understand the oral health and tooth-brushing behaviors of participants.

The findings of the research were published in Scientific Reports.

What did the study find?

It revealed that participants in the MN and Night groups exhibited similar blood markers. Interestingly, these groups also had higher survival rates compared to others. One notable difference among the groups was the varying levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a hormone associated with heart function.

The dental parameters of the participants were significantly varied – notably, the MN group had more severe dental issues compared to others.

It was observed that some cited alcohol fatigue as the reason for not brushing their teeth at night. This intriguing finding suggests a potential connection between dental health, alcohol consumption, and fatigue. Further study is needed to explore this relationship and its implications.