New study links gum disease to an increased risk of erectile dysfunction in men
New research suggests that men who suffer from gum disease are at greater risk of erectile dysfunction.
Scientists from the University of Granada have revealed that men who have gum disease are twice as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than those with healthy gums. In a study, which is the first to involve European men, researchers found that gum disease plays an even more significant role than diabetes and heart disease when it comes to determining erectile dysfunction risk.
Researchers involved in the study claim that there is a link between erectile dysfunction and gum disease, which means that one elevates the risk of another. Those with gum disease are more likely to experience issues related to impotence and vice versa.
During the study, the team analysed data from 158 men aged between 23 and 69 years old. Eighty of those men had erectile dysfunction. Researchers collected information and evaluated the data to ascertain whether there was a link between the two conditions. They found that men who had gum disease were 2.17 times more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than those with healthy gums. In addition, 74 percent of those with gum disease also had difficulties in the bedroom.
In response to the findings, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation, said that this study is yet another reminder of the influence of oral health on other parts of the body.
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