How Can A Plaque-Identifying Toothpaste Prevent Heart Attacks or Strokes?
Can toothpaste save your life? According to researchers, the answer seems to be… yes!. As you may know, your oral health is the gateway to your overall health, so why not take both into consideration when you’re brushing your teeth?
According to the CDC, nearly 48 percent of Americans age 30 and older (and even more so with seniors age 65 and older) suffer from some form of periodontal disease, an inflammatory conditions affecting the gums and tissues around your teeth. Prior research has shown that periodontal disease can lead to other diseases, including heart disease and stroke.
Since plaque–that sticky yellow film coating your teeth with bacteria–is often the cause of periodontal disease, scientists have created a plaque-identifying toothpaste that would allow you to see and directly brush the plaque off your teeth! Researchers hopes to use this product to see if it can reduce hs-CRP, a protein found in blood plasma with increased concentration in reaction to inflammation.
In studying the toothpaste, subjects were instructed with the same brushing protocol and each received a 30-day supply of either the plaque-identifying toothpaste or a non-plaque identifying placebo toothpaste.
Results have been consistent with previous testings, which showed a “statistically significant reduction in hs-CRP”. With promising results, there is stronger rational to conduct another trial on a larger scale, and revolutionize how we can bridge dental and overall health.
