Visiting a dental hygienist isn't just good for your teeth – it could also protect your heart, researchers claim.

They found that those who have their teeth professionally cleaned and polished at least once a year cut their risk of a heart attack by nearly a quarter.

And they are 13 percent less likely to have a stroke compared to those who have never had the treatment.

Scientists have known for several years that the condition of teeth and gums is strongly linked to the likelihood of heart problems.

Not brushing properly causes plaque¹ to build up, which leads to gum disease. Bacteria then enter the blood stream via the gums, and it is thought that this causes artery² walls to become inflamed³, which can trigger heart attacks or strokes.

The bacteria may also contribute to the build-up of fatty deposits in the bloodstream, which can also lead to heart problems.

Researchers from Taiwan looked at the records of more than 100,000 adults over seven years and noted⁴ how often they went to a dental hygienist.

Lead researcher Emily Chen from the Veterans General Hospital in Taipei, who presented the findings at the American Heart Association's scientific sessions conference in Florida, said: "Protection from heart disease and stroke was more pronounced in participants who got tooth scaling at least once a year."

Natasha Stewart, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "It's already known that poor oral hygiene⁵ may be associated with more well known risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking and poor diet."

"So it's important to make sure that good personal hygiene forms a basic part of a healthy lifestyle."

"Keeping your teeth clean and visiting the dentist is important but if you really want to help look after your heart, make sure you eat a balanced diet, avoid smoking and take part in regular physical activity."

据英国《每日邮报》11月14日报道，研究表明，看牙医不仅对你的牙齿健康有好处，还能帮助你保护心脏。

研究人员发现，那些一年至少一次为牙齿做专业清洗和打磨的人，患上心脏病的风险降低了将近四分之一。

而且比起那些从不治疗保养牙齿的人来说，他们罹患中风的可能性也要少了13%。

科学家在好几年前就已经发现牙齿和牙龈的健康状况与心脏病发的几率密切相关。

不恰当的刷牙方式会导致齿菌斑的产生，从而引发牙龈疾病。细菌会通过牙龈进入血液，研究人员认为这会使动脉壁发炎，因此引发心脏病和中风。

这些细菌还会造成血液中的脂肪沉积，也会导致心脏问题的产生。

来自台湾的研究人员在七年间查看了超过10万名成年人的健康记录，并记下了他们看牙医的次数和频率。

台北荣民总医院首席研究员艾米丽•陈(英文名)，在佛罗里达州举行的美国心脏协会科学会议上发布了这一发现，她说：“一年至少洗牙一次的人更明显不易罹患心脏病和中风。”

英国心脏基金会的高级心脏护理护士娜塔莎•斯图尔特说：“相较糟糕的口腔卫生与心脏健康的关系来说，心脏病与吸烟和不良的饮食习惯之间的关系更加广为人知。”

“所以重要的是要确保良好的生活习惯，这才是健康生活方式的基本组成部分。”

“保持牙齿清洁和看牙医是很重要的，但如果你真的想要好好保养自己的心脏，那就应该确保饮食均衡，不抽烟，并且定期锻炼。”