Targeting oral microbiome to protect against hypertension, promote healthy aging

Researchers are examining whether a mouthwash containing nitrates can help older individuals regulate blood pressure.

Oral bacteria convert nitrate from food into nitrite, which is subsequently converted into nitric oxide through digestion, according to a news article from Oral Health. As individuals age, the body’s natural production of nitric oxide, a compound that helps control blood pressure, blood vessel function and cardiovascular health, declines.

In a soon-to-be-recruiting clinical trial at Göteborg University, the researchers plan to investigate whether a nitrate-rich mouthwash can boost nitrite production in the oral microbiome and, in turn, the availability of nitric oxide for blood pressure regulation. They will measure the oral microbiome’s nitrite production capacity, plasma and salivary nitrate and nitrite levels, as well as salivary pH levels following the use of the nitrate-rich mouthwash compared with placebo.

Prior studies have demonstrated that nitrate-rich diets may counteract the adverse effects of chlorhexidine mouthwash on the nitrate pathway. For instance, when added to chlorhexidine mouthwash, beetroot juice high in nitrates helped partially sustain nitrate-producing oral bacterial populations. A separate study revealed that older adults who consumed beetroot juice twice daily showed declines in blood pressure and increases in beneficial oral bacteria, which could translate to better long-term cardiovascular benefits.

The researchers indicated that the findings could point to novel therapies targeting cardiovascular disease via the oral microbiome.

Read more: Oral Health

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