New study links poor oral hygiene with increased hypertension risk

A new study has demonstrated a link between poor oral health standards and an elevated risk of hypertension.

Conducted by the Catholic University of Korea, the study examined data from 19,560 adults to analyse the relationship between the prevalence and control rate of hypertension and numerous variables, including oral hygiene behaviour.

According to results published in the Journal of Periodontology, as the frequency of toothbrushing increased, the prevalence of hypertension decreased, even after adjusting for various factors.

In a subgroup analysis, this relationship was also observed in individuals without periodontitis. Systolic blood pressure levels showed a particular tendency to decrease as the frequency of toothbrushing and the number of secondary oral products used increased.

It was deemed that the evidence showed that individuals with poor oral hygiene behaviour are generally more likely to have a higher prevalence of hypertension, even before periodontitis is shown.

The researchers concluded: "Oral hygiene behavior may be considered an independent risk indicator for hypertension, and maintaining good oral hygiene may help to prevent and control hypertension."