By David Liu PHD

Many people have been fooled for many years.  Dentists claimed that gum disease can lead to heart disease and therefore preventing gum disease with help from dentists can prevent heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

A new study report says that is not true.   The claim is so seriously flawed that the American Heart Association issued a "scientific statement" in the AHA journal Circulation on Wednesday, according to Reuters, that gum disease does not raise the risk of cardiovascular disease nor cause the disease.

Because gum disease has nothing to do with heart disease, people should not expect that brushing or flossing teeth would help reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack or stroke.

The AHA report was based on a three-year analysis of data from 600 studies by an expert committee led by a cardiologist and a dentist.  (So don't say that this report is biased in favor of heart physicians). And the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs endorsed the report.  But why shouldn't dentists and doctors make a statement earlier to disclaim the association?

This report in itself indicates again that doctors and dentsts do not always know what they are talking about or they know it, but they don't want you to know it.

The best way to fight heart disease may be eating lots of green leafy vegetables and getting lots of sunshine, according to earlier studies.