Men's Health

 

Should you be concerned if your toothbrush bristles are red?

A study from Inonu University (Turkey) believes poor dental health could detrimentally effect erectile health.

Researchers evaluated the periodontal conditions of men ages 30-40, 80 of who had ED and 82 who did not, to see if there was a correlation between the two conditions.

Periodontal health was evaluated by plaque buildup, the amount teeth bled, decay, and missing teeth.

Men identified as having chronic periodontitis (CP) were 3.29 times more likely to have ED.

Further strengthening the association were findings that 23% of non-ED men showed severe CP, while over half (53%) of men with ED also had severe CP.

As CP is defined as inflamed gingival tissues caused by bacteria, researchers theorize this may effect endothelial dysfunction, a precursor to some instances of ED.

Men who already had presented with conditions such as diabetes and heart disease which can both effect dental health were excluded from the study as were men who smoked.

It is suggested that treating periodontitis may improve endothelial function and therefore improve erectile function.