It turns out that flossing isn’t only good for your teeth. A growing body of research shows that the health of your mouth and the health of your heart are more closely connected than most people realize.
Enrique Polanco, MD, who is board-certified in internal medicine, adult comprehensive echocardiography, nuclear cardiology and cardiovascular disease, says, “Gum disease, cavities and tooth loss are not just problems for your smile – they are increasingly recognized as markers of, and possible contributors to, cardiovascular disease.”
Dr. Polanco, who practices at Health First’s Medical Gateway Group in Melbourne, quotes a study done in 2023. “The numbers are striking. A large 2023 analysis pooling data from nearly 4.4 million people found that those with gum disease had roughly a 20-to-25-percent higher risk of major cardiovascular events, coronary heart disease and stroke, and a meaningfully higher risk of cardiac death compared with those with healthy gums.”
In 2025, the American Heart Association concluded that periodontal or gum disease is independently associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from cardiovascular causes – even after accounting for shared risk factors like smoking, obesity and inactivity.
“When we take care of our teeth and gums, we may also be doing something good for our hearts,” is a message supported by recent science, says Dr. Polanco.
Cleveland Clinic explains that periodontal disease is inflammation and infection of your gums and the bone that supports your teeth. It can be a result of poor hygiene, but some people are more prone to this type of infection.
In addition to poor dental hygiene, Dr. Polanco says other causes of periodontal disease include diabetes, smoking, and having other inflammatory diseases.
Common symptoms may include bad breath, loose teeth and bleeding, swollen gums.
There are many treatments available, depending on the severity of disease.
Mayo Clinic says that for milder cases treatment can be nonsurgical and less invasive – scaling, root planing, or administering of antibiotics. For more advanced cases, treatment can include flap or pocket reduction surgery, soft tissue or bone grafts, guided tissue regeneration, or application of a tissue-stimulating protein gel.
Why would a problem in the mouth affect the heart?
“Scientists believe chronic infection and inflammation in diseased gums allow bacteria to enter the bloodstream, where they can trigger inflammation in blood vessels and even be found lodged within the fatty plaques that clog arteries,” says Dr. Polanco.
“In effect, an unhealthy mouth can fuel a low-grade, body-wide inflammation that harms blood vessels over time.”
Dr. Polanco clarifies what science does – and does not – prove.
“We know gum disease and heart disease travel together. We have good reason to believe there is a biological connection.
“But we do not yet have definitive proof that treating gum disease will prevent heart attacks or strokes. That research is still ongoing.”
Although the cardiovascular connection is the most often discussed, there are several other diseases closely associated with periodontal disease.
“Diabetes, adverse pregnancy outcomes, chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory diseases, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, non-alcoholic liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and pancreatic, lung, breast, head and neck cancers are all affected to some extent and influenced by periodontal disease.”
What increases your odds of dealing with this problem? “Age and gender,” says Dr. Polanco. “We don’t why men are more inclined to have a negative reaction, but we do know that as we get older our immune systems get less responsive.”
Nature Index, a database that tracks scientific research articles, says oral health is linked to socioeconomic position, encompassing education, income and occupation.
Individuals in lower socioeconomic strata experience higher rates of tooth decay, periodontal disease. and tooth loss, driven by material deprivation, limited access to preventive and restorative services, psychosocial stressors and suboptimal health behaviors.
As Dr. Polanco sees it, the practical advice to brush and floss daily, see your dentist regularly, and not smoke is simple, safe, and sensible. “These steps protect your teeth and gums – and may protect your heart as well.
“For people who already have heart disease, good oral care should be part of an overall healthy lifestyle alongside the treatments their doctors recommend.
“The bottom line is that caring for your mouth is one more way of caring for your whole body.”
Enrique Polanco, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine, adult comprehensive echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, and cardiovascular disease. He received his medical degree from Pontificia Universidad Catolica, Madre y Maestra in Santiago, Dominican Republic, and completed his residency at Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center in Michigan and a fellowship in general cardiology at Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois. His office is located at Health First Medical Group–Gateway, 1223 Gateway Drive, Suite 2F, Melbourne. Call 321-312-3487 for an appointment.
