GETTY Losing more than two teeth in middle age could increase your risk of heart disease by 25 per cent

Dental health problems are related to inflammation, diabetes, smoking and consuming less healthy diets, according to the researchers. The Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health carried out the study on a large group of 45-69 year olds with no sign of heart disease. They looked at the number of teeth they had and then followed their tooth loss over eight years. They then followed an incidence of cardiovascular disease among people with no tooth loss, one tooth lost and two or more teeth lost over 12-18 years.

Professor of epidemiology at Tulane, Dr Lu Qi said: “Previous research has also found that dental health issues are associated with elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. “However, most of that research looked at cumulative tooth loss over a lifetime, which often includes teeth lost in childhood due to cavities, trauma and orthodontics. “Tooth loss in middle age is more likely related to inflammation, but it hasn't been clear how this later-in-life tooth loss might influence cardiovascular disease risk. “It seems losing two or more teeth in middle age is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk.“

The study was presented at the American Heart Association Meeting. They found that of the adults with 25 to 32 natural teeth at the study's start, those who lost two or more teeth had a 23 percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease, compared to those with no tooth loss. However those who had only lost one tooth had no increase in heart disease and those who had less than 17 natural teeth at the start had a 25 per cent increased risk. The risk occurred regardless of reported diet quality, physical activity, body weight and other cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

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GETTY Dental issues are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular issues