Periodontitis, which is connected to cardiovascular risk, results from gum inflammation. The study was published in ‘Frontiers in Oral Health.

The team tested whether white blood cell counts, an indication of gum inflammation, in the saliva of healthy persons may be connected to cardiovascular disease warning signs using a straightforward mouth rinse.

They discovered that elevated levels were associated with impaired flow-mediated dilation, which is a precursor to vascular disease.

Even in young healthy adults, low levels of oral inflammatory load may have an impact on cardiovascular health — one of the leading causes of death in North America,” said Dr Trevor King of Mount Royal University, corresponding author of the study published in Frontiers in Oral Health.

Periodontitis is a common infection of the gums which has previously been linked to the development of cardiovascular disease: scientists suspect that inflammatory factors may enter the bloodstream through the gums and damage the vascular system.