The odors that emerge in our body and mouth can be quite disturbing. Although these odors are dismissed as insignificant, the underlying cause of the odor can be quite serious. One study claims that smelly breath can be bad for your heart. Swiss researchers have found that bacteria that cause gum disease and bad breath can increase your risk of heart disease.
PAY ATTENTION TO GOOD DISEASES
This is because the insect known as F. nucleatum can increase heart inflammation. The study followed the heart health of more than 3,000 people over 12 years and tested their blood for antibodies. Former student Flavia Hodel of the EPFL School of Life Sciences said having gum disease “can contribute to cardiovascular risk.” The team found that people with antibodies to F. nucleatum in their blood—which means they had gum disease at some point in their lives—had an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
Professor Jacques Fellay, from the School of Life Sciences, said the research “adds to the growing evidence that inflammation triggered by infections can contribute to the development of coronary heart disease and increase the risk of heart attack.” Heart disease is a broad term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels and is one of the main causes of death and disability in the UK.
FACTORS INCREASING THE RISK OF HEART ATTACK
Factors such as unhealthy diet, sedentary life, stress, genetics, smoking and alcohol use, and age increase the risk of developing a heart attack. Early intervention in a sudden onset heart attack saves lives.