There is no apparent relationship between gum disease and heart disease, says a scientific statement published in the American Heart Association journal "Circulation". The statement was prepared by an American Heart Association expert committee that comprised of dentists and cardiologists.

"There's a lot of confusion out there. The message sent out by some in healthcare professions that heart attacks and strokes are directly linked to gum disease can distort the facts, alarm patients and perhaps shift the focus on prevention away from well-known risk factors for these diseases", said Peter Lockhart, D.D.S., Co-Chair of the Statement Writing Group and Professor and Chair of Oral Medicine at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C.

Many previous studies have claimed that bad gums may result in heart disease. At the same time, there are many studies that give conflicting views on the same topic. Many people believe that flossing or cleaning the gums reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

The committee reviewed more than 500 studies and articles published in various journals and came to this conclusion.

Both gum disease and heart disease cause the same inflammation (C-reactive protein). Apart from that, they have common risk factors, such as cigarette smoking and diabetes as well. Many doctors say that the infected gums may cause heart disease as the bacteria in the mouth tend to get into the body, especially during brushing.

The committee, however, suggested that there is a need for a long term study to analyze the impact of gum infections in increasing the risk of heart disease.