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Telegraph
23-02-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Five surprising health benefits of flossing every morning
If you brush your teeth morning and night, you probably think your oral health is in pretty good nick. But skipping the extra step of flossing – something only three in 10 people in the UK do daily – could not only leave you at risk of cavities, gum disease and loose teeth, but also chronic health problems such as heart disease, dementia and Type 2 diabetes. That's because a slimy biofilm is constantly trying to grow on our teeth, explains Morag Powell, a hygienist, dental therapist and lecturer at the University of Plymouth. Brushing your teeth twice a day will remove this substance from the outside and inside of the teeth but not from that hard-to-reach surface between the teeth. If left to grow and mature in these gaps, the biofilm may eventually trigger gum disease – when the gums become swollen, red, sore and bleed. But the inflammation doesn't stop there – it spreads throughout the rest of the body as well, Powell says. Some people can't comprehend the links between gum and overall health, says Dr Zoe Brookes, an associate professor of dental education and research at the University of Plymouth. 'But imagine having an infected wound the size of your palm,' she says. 'That's how big the infection is if you've got gum disease. That's going to be affecting your whole body as well.' 'I've spent a lifetime trying to increase awareness of the value and importance of cleaning between the teeth and that's what [all dentists] need to do, so patients are more inclined to do it,' says Powell. Simply flossing for a few minutes a day will not only keep you in your dentists' good books but also help you to dodge an array of health problems. Here's how. 1. Flossing every day will lower your risk of stroke Flossing just once a week cuts the risk of having a stroke by 44 per cent, according to one recent paper from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Scientists looked at the health records of more than 6,000 people and found that those who flossed weekly were also 12 per cent less likely to develop atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat). The experts believe their findings may be down to flossing reducing the chance of oral infections and lowering inflammation in the body, which in turn reduces the risk of suffering a stroke and heart problems. 'We know that people who have gum disease are more likely to have cardiovascular disease,' says Brookes. As well as inflammation in the mouth causing problems for the heart, it could also be that the bacteria that infects unhealthy gums travels to the blood vessels, she notes. For example, Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a bacteria that drives gum disease, has been detected in atherosclerotic plaques (a build-up of fats in the artery walls), which suggests a causal link between gum and poor heart health, Brookes explains. 2. It will help protect your brain health A recent study from the University of Exeter linked the presence of P. gingivalis in the mouth – the bacteria known to fuel gum disease – with a decline in brain function. The team, who analysed saliva samples from 115 people aged over 50, found that P. gingivalis was more common in people with memory problems. Another family of bacteria linked to poor oral health, called Prevotella was also linked to poor brain health. Keeping teeth clean – through brushing and flossing – is key for protecting brain health, the scientists concluded. A separate paper, from a team at Tohoku University in Japan, found people with gum disease and tooth loss had shrinking in the hippocampus (part of the brain critical for memory and learning). The researchers said their findings should encourage people to take better care of their teeth. 3. It reduces your risk of rheumatoid arthritis Doctors know that rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the immune system going into overdrive and mistakenly attacking the cells that line the joints. Research suggests that flare-ups in the condition – causing swollen, stiff and painful joints – may be caused by gum disease. A study from The Rockefeller University suggests that bacteria present in the mouth of patients with gum disease can leak through the gums, into the bloodstream and activate the immune system, causing arthritis symptoms to worsen. 'It does make sense,' says Brookes. 'In rheumatoid arthritis, there's an antibody – citrullinated proteins – that initiates an immune response. There could be an indirect link between gum disease and the activation of this antibody, which then goes on to affect the joints,' she explains. 4. Flossing regularly could lower your pancreatic cancer risk Maintaining good oral health has been linked to a lower risk of pancreatic cancer. That's according to a study from NYU Langone Medical Center. Researchers compared saliva samples from 720 people, half of whom later develop pancreatic cancer. Results showed that those with high levels of P. gingivalis had a 59 per cent higher risk of developing the cancer. Explaining their findings, the scientist suggested that the inflammation caused by P. gingivalis may have caused inflammation in the pancreas which led to cancer, or that the bacteria may have been a signal of cancer-causing inflammation. 'The links between cancer and gum disease is a more controversial area,' Brookes notes. There have been some individual studies showing a connection but association has not been the subject of a systemic review, she says. 5. Slashes Type 2 diabetes risk 'Poor oral health has been linked with Type 2 diabetes,' Brookes notes. That's because having gum disease is known to increase blood sugar levels, which in turn increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Additionally, gum disease triggers inflammation throughout the body, which is another risk factor for the condition. People who have type 2 diabetes are also at greater risk of gum disease, as they have a more aggressive inflammatory response to the bacteria in their mouth, she says. 'There's a bit of a chicken and egg – gum disease might cause diabetes but diabetes actually might make gum disease worse as well.' How to floss and use interdental brushes Flossing
The Independent
31-01-2025
- Health
- The Independent
This dental hygiene habit may lower stroke risk, scientists say
Flossing teeth at least once a week is linked to a lower risk of stroke caused by blood clots and irregular heartbeats, a new study says. The research, to be presented next week at the International Stroke Conference 2025, looks at how frequently people follow oral hygiene habits like brushing and dental flossing. "A recent global health report revealed that oral diseases – such as untreated tooth decay and gum disease – affected 3.5 billion people in 2022, making them the most widespread health conditions," study lead author Souvik Sen from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine said. "We aimed to determine which oral hygiene behaviour dental flossing, brushing or regular dentist visits has the greatest impact on stroke prevention." Researchers determined the extent of the home use of dental floss through a structured questionnaire for over 6,000 people. They found that among those who reported flossing, 4,092 had not experienced a stroke and 4,050 had not been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat. Irregular heartbeat has been shown in previous studies to potentially lead to stroke, heart failure or other heart -related complications. The participants also shared data about health parameters such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, body mass index, education, regular brushing and dentist visits. Over 25 years of follow-up, 434 participants were identified as having strokes, 147 from larger artery brain clots, 97 from heart-driven clots and 95 were hardening of the smaller arteries. About 1,291 of the participants were noted to have experienced an irregular heartbeat. An analysis of the data revealed that flossing was linked to a 22 per cent lower risk of ischemic stroke, a condition in which blood flow to the brain is blocked. Researchers also found that the dental hygiene habit is associated with a 44 per cent lower risk of blood clots travelling from the heart and about 12 per cent lower risk of irregular heartbeats. This link is independent of regular brushing, routine dental visits or other oral hygiene behaviours, scientists said. More frequent flossing seems to have a greater chance of stroke risk reduction, they say. "Oral health behaviours are linked to inflammation and artery hardening. Flossing may reduce stroke risk by lowering oral infections and inflammation and encouraging other healthy habits," Dr Sen said. "Many people have expressed that dental care is costly. Flossing is a healthy habit that is easy to adopt, affordable and accessible everywhere.'
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This good hygiene habit could lower your risk of a stroke — but only a third of Americans do it
Mind your hygiene! About 795,000 Americans will have a stroke this year, but new research suggests that a common, healthy habit may reduce the risk of certain types of stroke. 'A recent global health report revealed that oral diseases — such as untreated tooth decay and gum disease — affected 3.5 billion people in 2022, making them the most widespread health conditions,' said study lead author Dr. Souvik Sen. 'We aimed to determine which oral hygiene behavior — dental flossing, brushing or regular dentist visits — has the greatest impact on stroke prevention,' added Sen, chair of the neurology department at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Sen's team linked flossing teeth at least once a week to a 22% lower risk of ischemic stroke, 44% lower risk of cardioembolic stroke and 12% lower risk of AFib. Most strokes are ischemic — they occur when there's a blockage in an artery or inadequate blood flow through that artery that causes an area of the brain to become damaged. A cardioembolic stroke happens when a blood clot travels from the heart to the brain, blocking blood flow to a part of the brain. And atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, describes a heartbeat that's too slow, too fast or irregular in some other way. It can lead to stroke, heart failure or other complications. AFib affects more than 5 million American adults — that number is expected to grow to more than 12 million by 2030, according to the American Heart Association. 'Oral health behaviors are linked to inflammation and artery hardening,' Sen said. 'Flossing may reduce stroke risk by lowering oral infections and inflammation and encouraging other healthy habits.' 'Many people have expressed that dental care is costly,' he continued. 'Flossing is a healthy habit that is easy to adopt, affordable and accessible everywhere.' This is good news for the 37% of Americans who claim they floss once a week. Nearly 32% of Americans admit they don't floss at all, while the same amount report that they floss daily. In Sen's study, more than 6,200 people answered a questionnaire about their flossing routine. Participants were followed for 25 years. During that time, 434 had strokes and nearly 1,300 experienced Afib. Flossing more often led to a greater chance of stroke risk reduction. Sen's team noted that the lower stroke risk was independent of tooth brushing, routine dental visits and other oral hygiene habits. The research, which has not been peer-reviewed, will be presented next week at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2025. Besides potentially lowering stroke risk, flossing removes plaque and food particles from your teeth to reduce your risk of cavities and periodontal disease. But some flosses have been found to contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), so-called 'forever chemicals' that linger in the body and have been linked to a host of health problems. A 2019 study by the nonprofit research organization Silent Spring Institute found fluorine — a marker of PFAS — in several floss brands. PFAS in the coating helps floss slide between teeth. 'We're concerned about the potential for PFAS chemicals to migrate out of floss and to be ingested,' Katie Boronow, a Silent Spring research scientist, told The Post this week. 'We want to emphasize that it's important for people to floss as part of good oral hygiene,' she added. 'The good news is that some brands have been found not to contain PFAS.' Boronow recommends looking for floss made from nylon or silk that is unwaxed or coated in natural wax.
