23/09/2025
🦠 New research shows mouth bacteria can hide in artery walls and raise heart attack risk.🫀
This startling finding comes from a new study that strengthens the long-suspected connection between oral health and cardiovascular disease. Far from being confined to the mouth, certain bacteria appear capable of traveling through the bloodstream and embedding themselves deep within arterial plaques—the very blockages that can lead to heart attacks.
In research from Tampere University, Finland, scientists examined clogged arteries from both living patients and those who died suddenly of heart disease. They found genetic traces of viridans streptococci—a common group of oral bacteria—in more than 40% of arterial plaques. Even more concerning, these microbes weren’t sitting on the surface; they were organized into biofilms, shielded from the body’s immune defenses, lying dormant until triggered.
These hidden bacterial colonies may spark inflammation when the body is stressed by another infection, poor diet, or chronic illness. That inflammation can destabilize artery plaques, making them rupture and block blood flow—one of the main causes of sudden heart attacks. In other words, bacteria that start in the mouth may be silent accomplices in life-threatening cardiovascular events.
Protecting oral health is about much more than preventing cavities or gum disease. Brushing, flossing, and routine dental check-ups may also safeguard the heart. This study offers powerful new evidence that a healthier smile could truly mean a healthier life span.
🧠Source:
Karhunen, P., et al. (2025). Oral Streptococci in Coronary Atheromas and Their Association With Sudden Death. Journal of the American Heart Association, 10 September 2025.
📄Research paper:
P. Karhunen, et al. "Viridans Streptococcal Biofilm Evades Immune Detection and Contributes to Inflammation and Rupture of Atherosclerotic Plaques" JAHA. (2025).
