Toothpaste, healthy teeth & healthy heart?

I decided to change my brand of toothpaste yesterday. The old tube was empty so a new purchase was required and Colgate lost out to Tom's. But it iwas a difficult choice, I have to own up to three fillings, all done before I was sixteen years of age. So, through my commitment to cleaning my teeth etc. I have halted the need for time with the drill for over 16 years. Shouldn't I stick with the toothpaste that has taken me this far?

Well, it is a tough call. How much of that success (no fillings) can be attributed to the particular brand? As a kid I think Crest was used from time to time, around the time when stripes arrived on the scene. However, until a few months ago I had never heard of Tom's, a natural tooth paste and the human values set by their founders and owners is applied across their corporate and manufacturing processes to be natural. So, I have changed. They, have science to back up their tooth pastes effectiveness, just like the other brands but what I found interesting in their packaging and I have seen the global brands expand to make this statement too, the healthy teeth are key to a making you healthy, or in Tom's case, suggestion that some research suggests healthy teeth can reduce the risk of developing heart disease.

Now we can have healthy (white is what we need) teeth, reduced plaque, fights decay and heart disease etc. What I would like to know is, what is the research and science behind the claims and how does it effect me personally? Not some 'average' person.