Increased risk for cardiovascular disease may have a link between middle aged people losing two or more teeth, as suggested by  the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston and Tulane University School of Public Health in New Orleans. Preliminary research was presented by investigators at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions in New Orleans in March.

The research analyzed adults between 45 to 69, with tooth loss, who didn’t have cardiovascular disease when the study began. Natural, recent, tooth loss was initially self reported by the participants of the study. Over 12 to 18 year, the researchers studies tooth loss and incidence of cardiovascular disease among participants.

Subjects who began the study with 25 to 32 natural teeth and subsequently lost two or more teeth had a 23% increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those with no tooth loss. Cardiovascular disease risk for all participants increased 16% among those who lost two or more teeth during the study, compared to those who didn’t lose any teeth, according to the researchers (regardless of the number of natural teeth they had at the beginning of the study). The study also showed that regardless of the participants diet, physical activity, body weight or other cardiovascular risk factors, the increased risk of cardiovascular disease was still present.