Teeth cleaning may help heart health

Getting your teeth cleaned may give you something else to smile about: Your health.

Researchers in Taiwan found that people who had their teeth professional cleaned at least once every two years were 24 percent less likely to have a heart attack.

Risk of a stroke also dropped by 13 percent.

Experts say the link is not entirely clear, but they believe getting rid of bacteria in the mouth can prevent chronic infection and inflammation, which could spread to other parts of the body.