By Sam Blanchard Health Reporter For Mailonline
Published: 10:20 GMT, 8 January 2019 | Updated: 10:20 GMT, 8 January 2019
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Men who don't brush their teeth twice a day are almost three times as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, a study has found.
Gum disease is believed to increase the chances of damaging the blood vessels which supply the penis.
A review of studies involving more than 200,000 men has strengthened a direct link between the two conditions, experts claim.
The research adds to growing evidence poor oral hygiene can impact a man's performance in the bedroom and potentially have other health consequences.
Men who don't brush their teeth and get gum disease are nearly three times as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, according to researchers at Jinan University, China
Scientists at Jinan University in China reviewed five studies' findings on the link between periodontal disease (gum disease) and erectile dysfunction.
They found men with gum disease – triggered by bad oral hygiene – are 2.85 times more likely to struggle to get an erection.
Both conditions are common – almost all adults have some degree of gum damage, according to the NHS, but it can worsen and become a health concern if not treated.
Experts recommend people brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and clean between their teeth daily with floss or inter-dental brushes.
And 'most men' over the age of 40 will have episodes of erectile dysfunction, known as impotence, although it can affect men at any age.
Impotence is when men struggle or fail to maintain a firm enough erection to have sex – it can
