There's a clear connection between how much nitrite is in the blood and blood pressure changes when mouth bacteria are disrupted, with a strong statistical relationship.

When nitrite levels in the blood went down after using mouthwash, blood pressure went up, and this connection was strong enough to be statistically significant.

When bacteria that help convert nitrate to nitrite in the mouth are reduced, blood pressure tends to go up by a small amount (2-3.5 mmHg for systolic and 2-2.2 mmHg for diastolic).

When mouth bacteria are disrupted, blood pressure goes up regardless of how it's measured - whether at the doctor's office, at home, or with a 24-hour monitor.

Bacteria in the mouth help keep nitrite levels in the blood stable, which is shown by the fact that people with higher nitrite in their saliva also tend to have higher nitrite in their blood.

The small blood pressure increase from using the special mouthwash was similar in size to what's known to increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.