Heart Attack Risk: Can Brushing Your Teeth With New Toothpaste Prevent Cardiovascular Disease?

Brushing your teeth with a special plaque reducing toothpaste could cut your risk of heart disease and stroke, a new study found. Researchers set out to determine if Plaque HD toothpaste would significantly reduce levels of the inflammation that causes heart disease in the study published in the American Journal of Medicine.

A team at Florida Atlantic University compared 61 healthy people aged 19 to 44 after they used either Plaque HD or a placebo toothpaste for 60 days. They then measured their levels of plaque and the protein present in inflammation and heart disease. Researchers found a convincing drop in both. Plaque was reduced by 49 percent as compared to only 24 percent when placebo toothpaste was used. Inflammatory proteins were reduced by 29 percent with Plaque HD, while those who used a placebo toothpaste actually showed an increase of 25 percent.

Plaque HD toothpaste is a new type of dental cleaner that attaches to plaque buildup. The paste stains plaque blue, allowing brushers to identify and remove all traces of it for a more thorough cleaning. One tube of the toothpaste currently costs $16.95.

Charles H. Hennekens, the study’s senior author, warned that while the new study supported the toothpaste’s ability to lower the risk of heart disease, a larger study would need to be conducted to prove it conclusively. Hennekens also published the original article linking aspirin to lower rates of heart disease in 1997. The American Heart Association now formally acknowledges aspirin therapy as a way to reduce the risk of heart attacks.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death around the world, killing more than 17.3 million people annually. By 2030, that number could rise to 23.6 million, according to the American Heart Association. If the link between this toothpaste and a drop in heart disease and stroke can be conclusively proven, it could have major implications for public health, the study said.