A research project exploring the link between poor oral health and cardiovascular disease has been awarded funding as a result of a Simplyhealth media drive.
Following an integrated media campaign, for every ‘Like' Simplyhealth received on its Facebook page it donated £1 to Heart Research UK. Overall, the insurer donated £150,000 to the charity.
The University of Sheffield and Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust were awarded the grant after submitting a research project that looks into whether stopping the giving of antibiotics to dental patients has led to an increase in the number of cases of infective endocarditis.
Clare Lee, head of brand, PR and digital at Simplyhealth said: "This piece of research will now help us understand more about the impact that antibiotics can have for patients at risk of infective endocarditis, which is a serious infection of the lining of the heart that affects 2,000 to 5,000 people per year in the UK. It will be the lasting legacy of our campaign."
Professor Martin Thornhill from the University of Sheffield's School of Clinical Dentistry said: "Dental procedures are thought to be one of the principal causes of infective endocarditis.
"By studying if the number of cases of infective endocarditis has gone up since the introduction of the NICE guideline recommending that antibiotic prophylaxis should stop, we should be able to determine whether it's effective in preventing infective endocarditis or not."
The remainder of the donation will fund community initiatives educating schoolchildren on the importance of dental health.
