Could flossing really help to protect you from heart attacks?

Yes … efficient dental hygiene could also help ward off strokes and dementia.You may brush your teeth diligently twice a day as dentists recommend, but do you floss? The facts are that about one-third of people never floss their teeth, but research has shown that flossing as part of your daily dental hygiene not only reduces the risk of gum disease and tooth decay, but it could also cut the risk of heart attacks, strokes and dementia. The reason is that the bacteria that cause gum disease may also travel through your bloodstream into other organs – including your heart and brain. Brushing your teeth cleans approximately 60 per cent of your teeth’s surface area. The remaining 40 per cent (the area between your teeth) can only be cleaned by flossing and a build-up of bacteria between your teeth could become a major health hazard.Your mouth is constantly full of bacteria – most of it harmless, but some of which can react with bits of food to create plaque. The bacteria in this plaque that sticks to your teeth creates acid that not only destroys the tooth’s enamel resulting in tooth decay, but it also produces toxins, which in turn can lead to inflammation of your gums.Initially, this inflammation, also known as gingivitis, can be painful, but if it progresses to become periodontitis it can destroy the bone and worse still, it can find its way into your bloodstream and travel around your body causing further damage.Studies have shown that people with periodontal disease are more susceptible to heart disease. The infection can also travel to other organs, including your brain, which in turn can result in dementia.We know that all this sound rather desperate, but the facts are that there are now proven links between gum disease and other major health issues.Protecting your gums and your teeth by adopting a good dental hygiene routine makes sense.At Carisbrook, we recommend that you brush your teeth twice a day – as soon as you get up in a morning and again the last thing before you go to bed at night. You should brush your teeth for at least two minutes and we also recommend that you should floss your teeth every day.Some research suggests that flossing before brushing is the most effective dental hygiene approach.You can read more about this and see videos on our Hygiene page and on our Cleaning Advice page.The other thing we always recommend is that you should always arrange regular dental appointments so that your dentist can examine your teeth for signs of decay and gum infection. If there are any problems then they can be quickly sorted out before they develop into something more serious.If you would like to arrange a routine dental appointment please do not hesitate to contact us. You can call us on 0161 951 7295 or alternatively you can contact us by using the online form on our Appointments page.