Flossing Linked to Lower Risk for Ischemic, Cardioembolic Stroke, A-Fib
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Jan. 31, 2025 -- Dental flossing is associated with a lower risk for ischemic and cardioembolic stroke and atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study presented at the annual American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference, held from Feb. 5 to 7 in Los Angeles.
Souvik Sen, M.D., M.P.H., from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, and colleagues examined the relationship between flossing, incident stroke, stroke subtypes, and AF in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort study. Home use of flossing was assessed through a structured questionnaire.
Data were included for 6,278 dentate participants without a prior history of stroke and 6,108 without prior AF who were followed over a 25-year period. The researchers found that 65 percent of the stroke-free cohort reported flossing. Flossers had significantly lower rates of vascular risk factors, periodontal disease, and dental caries. Overall, 434 individuals were identified as having strokes during the follow-up period: 146 thrombotic, 102 cardioembolic, and 95 lacunar subtypes. Dental flossing was associated with a significantly lower risk for ischemic stroke, cardioembolic stroke subtype, and AF, but not thrombotic or lacunar stroke. A significant dose-effect was observed between flossing frequency and the reduction in incident ischemic stroke. The reduced rate of AF mediated a small proportion of the cardioembolic stroke risk reduction.
"Oral health behaviors are linked to inflammation and artery hardening. Flossing may reduce stroke risk by lowering oral infections and inflammation and encouraging other healthy habits," Sen said in a statement. "Many people have expressed that dental care is costly. Flossing is a healthy habit that is easy to adopt, affordable, and accessible everywhere."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted January 2025
Read this next
Exercise-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Aids Atrial Fibrillation
THURSDAY, July 31, 2025 -- Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (ExCR) shows clinical benefits in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a review published online...
CKD May Be Tied to Higher Risk for Tooth Loss
THURSDAY, July 24, 2025 -- Chronic kidney disease (CKD) appears to be associated with a higher risk for tooth loss, with a higher prevalence of CKD seen among individuals with...
Risk for Dementia, Ischemic Stroke, Mortality Lower With GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in T2D, Obesity
TUESDAY, July 22, 2025 -- For adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are associated with a lower risk for dementia, stroke...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.