A hole in your smile = a hole in your heart

SHOOT: If you've lost a lot of teeth, chances are your sugar intake is higher than average, and if there's one thing that kills the heart, it's too much of that raw sweet stuff.

On Oprah they have suggested flossing as a great way to live longer - now you know why. Those germs in the mouth poison the body.

clipped from www.news24.com Although many studies published in the past 15 years have showed a link between oral health and cardiovascular disease, Holmlund's study shows a direct relationship between cardiovascular disease and the number of teeth in a person's mouth. The theory connecting teeth numbers and heart disease, Holmlund explained, maintains that "infections in the mouth and around the teeth can spill over to the systemic circulation system and cause a low graded chronic inflammation", which is known to be a risk factor for heart attacks and other cardiovascular episodes. The study had been limited by the fact that it had not been possible to adjust the results for socio-economic factors and to fully adjust them according to other cardiovascular risk factors, he acknowledged. Heart disease is the number one killer worldwide, claiming upward of 17 million lives every year according to the World Health Organisation.