If you need another reason to brush and floss, here it is: Research suggests keeping your mouth healthy might also protect your brain and heart.
Two new studies published Wednesday in Neurology Open Access linked gum disease and cavities to a higher risk of stroke and brain damage.
In the first study, adults with gum disease were more likely to have white matter changes in their brains.
"Gum disease is associated with a higher chance of inflammation, and inflammation has been tied to atherosclerosis as well as hardening of the small blood vessels, as we saw in this study," study author Dr. Souvik Sen, a professor of neurology at the University of South Carolina, told CBS News.
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