Brushing your teeth can lower the risk of heart disease and even reverse the risk of a stroke, researchers and scientists at the University of Milan, Italy, have announced.

Link between gum disease and heart diease

Scientists have long suspected that periodontitis, also known as gum or gingival disease, is linked to early signs of heart disease, specifically atherosclerosis - the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries.

The University of Milan study has now identified a specific bacteria - porphyromonas gingivalis - as one of the main culprits in both gum and heart disease.

It is thought that the oral and gum bacteria porphyromonas gingivalis resembles the proteins found in blood vessels to such a degree that when the body\\\'s immune system fight off gum disease it turns on itself and starts to kill off the blood vessel proteins, which in turn lead to increases levels of fatty sustances being depositted in the blood and around the heart, increasing the risk of heart disease in the future.

The study

Volunteers, who showed no signs of heart diease or elevated levels of blood cholestrol but did show symptoms of gum disease, including bleed gums, tenderness and bad breath, took part in the University of Milan study.

They took part in non-surgical dental proceedures to correct their gum diease.

The results

One year on each patient showed no occurance of their oral conditions and each one exhibited signification reduction in oral bacteria as well as lower levels of fatty deposits within the artery walls, resulting in a 20 percent reduction in the thickness of their arteries.

Lowering the thickness of the arteries is a positive step to reducing the onset of heart disease, as well asreducing the likelihood of suffering from a heart attack or stroke.

The future

Whilst the University of Milan oral bacteria study did show positive links between good oral care and reductions in the risk of heart disease, the study only included 35 volunteers and no control or placebo group. As such the study will be extended to include 200 people with a double-blind placebo control trial, where neither the patients nor investigators knew who\\\'s received active treatment and who hasn\\\'t - meaning the research obtained will be more conclusive next time around.

In the mean time though good oral practice is also said to lower the onset of other diseases, including diabetes, low weight babies and infertility problems.