Flossing can reduce risk of strokes, new study reveals

A new study has revealed that flossing can reduce the risk of stroke as well as a type of irregular heart rhythm that can increase stroke risk.

The American Heart Association wrote about the study on its website on 30 January, saying flossing at least once a week reduces the chance of strokes caused by blood clots coming from the heart, as well as irregular heart rhythm that can lead to a stroke.

More than oral hygiene

Until now, most people believed that flossing was just an oral hygiene practice. However, this new study reveals that there is more to it.

While flossing alone doesn’t lower the risk, it can help to lower the risk. Commenting on the findings, lead researcher Dr. Souvik Sen, a professor and chair of the neurology department at the University of South Carolina in Columbia said:

“I wouldn’t say dental flossing is the only thing you need to do to prevent a stroke, but our findings suggest it is one more thing to be added to a healthy lifestyle.”

The study involved 6,278 participants who answered questions about home use of dental floss. About 65% of the participants reported flossing at least once a week.

They were monitored for 25 years to see if they developed AFib or had an ischemic stroke, which occurs when a blood vessel to the brain is blocked.

The researchers also looked at the risk of specific types of ischemic stroke, including thrombotic strokes, cardioembolic strokes, and lacunar strokes.

According to the result, regular flossers had 22% lower risk of an ischemic stroke, a 44% lower risk of a cardioembolic stroke, and a 12% lower risk of AFib, which developed in 20% of study participants.

“Dental flossing reduces oral infections and gum disease, which are linked to inflammation. Because inflammation can contribute to the risk for stroke, it would make sense that if people floss regularly, it might also reduce the risk of stroke and AFib.”

Not all about flossing

Flossing may reduce the risk of strokes, but it is not just about flossing.

Commenting on the study, Dr. Karen Furie, neurologist-in-chief at Brown University Health in Providence, Rhode Island, said the lower risk could be because flossers generally pay more attention to little details on health maintenance.

She added that maintaining other habits such as blood pressure and cholesterol, maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active and others can also help to lower the risk of strokes.