Regular dental flossing is linked to a lower risk for ischemic stroke, primarily by reducing systemic inflammation, which can lead to atrial fibrillation (AF) increasing the likelihood of a cardioembolic event, new research suggested.The reduced risk is independent of oral care such as regular teeth brushing and visits to the dentist, the research showed.“We knew that flossing regularly will lower the body’s level of inflammation, and the level of oral infection, but now, based on this study, we know it will reduce the rate of stroke, atrial fibrillation, and cardioembolic stroke,” study investigator Souvik Sen, MD, professor and chair, Department of Neurology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia, told Medscape Medical News.Flossing is an affordable health measure that [...]