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 plaque to build up, which leads to gum disease. Bacteria then enter the blood stream via the gums, and it is thought that this causes artery walls to become inflamed, 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 noted 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 hygiene 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."

　　
據英國《每日郵報》11月14日報道，研究表明，看牙醫不僅對你的牙齒健康有好處，還能幫助你保護心臟。

研究人員發現，那些一年至少一次為牙齒做專業清洗和打磨的人，患上心臟病的風險降低了將近四分之一。

而且比起那些從不治療保養牙齒的人來說，他們罹患中風的可能性也要少了13%。

科學家在好幾年前就已經發現牙齒和牙齦的健康狀況與心臟病發的幾率密切相關。
不恰當的刷牙方式會導致齒菌斑的產生，從而引發牙齦疾病。細菌會通過牙齦進入血液，研究人員認為這會使動脈壁發炎，因此引發心臟病和中風。

這些細菌還會造成血液中的脂肪沉積，也會導致心臟問題的產生。

來自臺灣的研究人員在七年間查看了超過10萬名成年人的健康記錄，并記下了他們看牙醫的次數和頻率。
臺北榮民總醫院首席研究員艾米麗 陳（英文名），在佛羅里達州舉行的美國心臟協會科學會議上發布了這一發現，她說：“一年至少洗牙一次的人更明顯不易罹患心臟病和中風。”

英國心臟基金會的高級心臟護理護士娜塔莎 斯圖爾特說：“相較糟糕的口腔衛生與心臟健康的關系來說，心臟病與吸煙和不良的飲食習慣之間的關系更加廣為人知。”

“所以重要的是要確保良好的生活習慣，這才是健康生活方式的基本組成部分。”

“保持牙齒清潔和看牙醫是很重要的，但如果你真的想要好好保養自己的心臟，那就應該確保飲食均衡，不抽煙，并且定期鍛煉。”