Tooth loss may indicate heart disease risk

People who start to lose their teeth in middle age may be at greater risk of cardiovascular disease.

This is according to research conducted by scientists based at New Orleans' Tulane University.

Lu Qi, lead author of the study, explained: "In addition to other established associations between dental health and risk of disease, our findings suggest that middle-aged adults who have lost two or more teeth in the recent past could be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease."

The investigation monitored the dental health of a large cohort of adults aged between 45 and 69 over a period of 12 to 18 years.

It was found that individuals who had 25 to 32 natural teeth at the beginning of the study and lost two or more teeth during its course were 23 percent more likely to be diagnosed with heart disease compared to their counterparts who did not suffer from tooth loss.

This was the case regardless of other factors such as quality of diet, physical exercise levels and even other cardiovascular risk factors, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

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