Oral bacteria and your blood pressure
Association Between Nitrate‐Reducing Oral Bacteria and Cardiometabolic Outcomes: Results From ORIGINS
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No link between oral bacteria and prediabetes or hypertension prevalence
Most people assume more beneficial bacteria would prevent these conditions entirely, but the study only showed associations with blood pressure and sugar levels in people without existing conditions.
Practical Takeaways
Avoid antibacterial mouthwash if you're trying to support healthy blood pressure
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No link between oral bacteria and prediabetes or hypertension prevalence
Most people assume more beneficial bacteria would prevent these conditions entirely, but the study only showed associations with blood pressure and sugar levels in people without existing conditions.
Practical Takeaways
Avoid antibacterial mouthwash if you're trying to support healthy blood pressure
Publication
Journal
Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease
Year
2019
Authors
C. Goh, P. Trinh, P. Colombo, J. Genkinger, B. Mathema, A. Uhlemann, C. Leduc, R. Leibel, M. Rosenbaum, B. Paster, M. Desvarieux, P. Papapanou, D. Jacobs, R. Demmer
Related Content
Claims (10)
Bacteria in the mouth help regulate blood pressure by converting nitrate to nitrite, which is part of the body's natural blood pressure control system.
The amount of oral bacteria that convert nitrates to nitrites doesn't seem to be related to whether people have prediabetes or high blood pressure.
People with more oral bacteria that convert nitrates to nitrites tend to have better insulin sensitivity, meaning their bodies handle sugar better.
People with more oral bacteria that convert nitrates to nitrites tend to have lower blood sugar levels.
People with more oral bacteria that convert nitrates to nitrites tend to have lower blood pressure, but only if they don't already have high blood pressure.