People who have been victims of a stroke generally have an abundant quantity of the bacteria Streptococcus anginosis in their saliva and in the intestines. Its presence is also associated with a higher risk of death and complications.
- The presence of the bacteria Streptococcus Anginosis in the intestines is associated with a higher risk of stroke.
- It would also increase the risk of death and cardiovascular problems.
- Better oral hygiene could reduce the presence of these bacteria.
We have billions of bacteria in our body. For example, there are particularly numerous in the intestines and in the mouth. Some protect us from diseases, but others may increase risk. Researchers from the National Brain Center and the Osaka Cardiovascular System in Japan confirm it in their latest work. During the conference of the American Stroke Association, organized from February 5 to 7 in Los Angeles, they will present their results: they show that the presence of the bacteria Streptococcus Anginosis in the mouth and the intestines is associated with an increased risk of ‘stroke.
The risk of stroke can be influenced by the presence of certain bacteria in the mouth
To achieve this conclusion, they have identified all the bacteria present in the saliva and the intestines of patients recently victims of a stroke, then they compared these samples with those of healthy participants. Japanese researchers have discovered that Streptococcus Anginosus was “Significantly more abundant in the saliva and intestine of people who underwent an acute stroke than in the control group of people who had not had a stroke “. Precisely, the presence of the bacteria was associated with a 20 % higher risk of stroke. For patients who have had a stroke, Streptococcus Anginosus in the intestine also increased the risk of death and cardiovascular event within two years the accident. Conversely, the Anaerostipes Hadrus bacteria, present in the intestine, was linked to a drop in risk of 18 % and Bacteroides Plebeius, another intestinal bacteria, was associated with a risk reduction of 14 %.
Bacteria and stroke: links with oral hygiene
“”Our results provide new information on the link between oral bacteria and the risk of stroke, as well as on potential cerebral accident prevention strategies, brain, cerebral accidents, Estees Shuichi Tonomura, principal author of this study. Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus Anginosus are both bacteria that contribute to dental caries by producing acids that break up teeth enamel. This highlights the importance of preventing dental caries, which can be done by reducing sugar consumption and using toothpaste that targets these bacteria. “
In addition, other works have shown that poor oral health is associated with higher inflammation in the body, which can increase the risk of stroke. Japanese researchers plan to continue their work with larger samples of patients.
