Can daily flossing reduce your stroke risk? Here are takeaways from a new study

Find out which oral hygiene behaviour works for you

Updated: February 20, 2025 12:29 PM IST

3 min read

Shot of a cheerful young man flossing his teeth while looking at his reflection in the mirror at home, flossing, oral hygiene, oral health, stroke, stroke and flossing, indian express

Scientific literature shows that one must visit their dentist at least twice a year to get their teeth professionally cleaned to remove those stubborn plaque and calculus. (Credit: Pexels)

Using a toothpick is a quick and easy way to remove an annoying guava seed but did you know that flossing daily — a simple hygienic habit — may actually reduce the risk of stroke?

A new study presented recently at the American Stroke Association’s international stroke conference has found that flossing was associated with a 22% lower risk of ischemic stroke, a 44% lower risk of cardioembolic stroke (blood clots traveling from the heart), and a 12% lower risk of atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat in the upper chambers of the heart).

The study’s aim was to determine which oral hygiene behaviour — dental flossing, brushing or regular dentist visits —- had the greatest impact on stroke prevention.

What the study showed

More than 6,000 people were surveyed via questionnaire regarding their home use of dental floss over a 25-year period. In addition, participants were asked about blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, body mass index, education, brushing habits, and dental visits. According to the study, after 25 years, 434 patients had developed a stroke. Of these strokes, 147 were triggered by larger artery brain clots, 97 occurred due to blood clots that developed in the heart and 95 resulted from clots in small blood vessels in the brain.

Why dental flossing equals low risk of stroke

Dr Bibhakar Ranjan(not associated with the study), a noted dental surgeon based in Bonn, Germany, explains why flossing is better for heart health than using toothpicks to clean trapped food particles. “Not only does it clean the area between the two teeth which are often left behind or difficult to clean by a simple toothbrush, it also removes plaque, prevents gum inflammation (gingivitis), fights bad breath and improves oral hygiene,” he says.

Oral infections like gingivitis and periodontitis or any kind of gum inflammation cause the body to release inflammatory markers like C-Reactive protein (CRP), which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. “Oral bacteria can damage the lining of the blood vessels which causes narrowing and hardening of the arteries, thereby increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke,” he adds.

He completely advises against use of a toothpick to remove food lodged between teeth as it injures the gum and with time bleeds often. “This would lead to periodic inflammation. Flossing is a good oral hygiene practice and while not very common across several households, over the years, it is getting better in the younger Indian generation,” says Dr Ranjan.

Don’t skip dental visits

Story continues below this ad

Scientific literature shows that one must visit their dentist at least twice a year to get their teeth professionally cleaned to remove those stubborn plaque and calculus. “If there’s a sign or early gum inflammation or infection then it must be treated without delay,” Dr Ranjan says.

The expert also suggests that a health insurance cover for a dental check-up will motivate people to visit their dentist and avoid inflammation risks. “Only then will people get their teeth regularly checked and treated,” he adds.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. ``Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) "Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. ``At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure "For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. ``Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions X (Twitter): @runaanu ... Read More

Tags: