Could a simple dental cleaning prevent a deadly heart infection?
NCT ID NCT05721781
First seen Jul 24, 2026 · Last updated Jul 24, 2026
Summary
This trial investigates whether a professional dental cleaning and instruction on proper brushing and flossing can reduce the amount of bacteria that enter the bloodstream during tooth brushing. Such bacteria can sometimes lead to infective endocarditis, a serious infection of the heart's inner lining. The study compares blood test results between a group that receives the cleaning and instruction and a group that does not, enrolling adults who have not had a dental cleaning in at least six months.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- a professional dental cleaning and oral hygiene instruction (Modified Bass brushing technique and daily flossing)
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this simple, low-cost intervention could point toward a way to reduce the risk of infective endocarditis, a serious heart infection, in people with poor oral health.
- What could go wrong
- This is a relatively small trial testing a short-term effect on bacteria in the blood, not on actual heart infections. The results may not translate to long-term prevention or apply to people at high risk for endocarditis.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Study contacts
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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Atrium Health's Carolinas Medical Center
RECRUITINGCharlotte, North Carolina, 28203, United States
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact
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New York University
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGNew York, New York, 10010, United States
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact Email: •••••@•••••
Contact
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Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
RECRUITINGNewark, New Jersey, 07103, United States
Contact
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
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Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and Tufts University Health Sciences Campus
WITHDRAWNBoston, Massachusetts, 02111, United States
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University of Michigan School of Dentistry and Michigan Medicine
RECRUITINGAnn Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
Contact Email: •••••@•••••
Contact
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University of Rochester Medical Center
COMPLETEDRochester, New York, 14620, United States
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