A recent study in 20107 has discovered how bacteria in the mouth that results in tooth decay can also cause blood clots. While the study was conducted in small lab animals, it was hypothesized that poor dental hygiene conditions could lead to bleeding gums, providing the bacteria, even in gingivitis, an escape route into the blood stream. It can initiate blood clots resulting in heart disease. Streptococcus bacteria, normally present in the oral biofilm, can result in both gum disease and tooth decay. Upon entering the bloodstream through bleeding gums, they produce a protein that brings together platelets from the blood to form a clot which results in thrombosis.
