It turns out that dental flossing is a way to decrease your risk for heart disease. Dental flossing is a powerful anti-oxidant. By flossing, you decrease inflammation of your gums and the general inflammatory response which effects a variety of organs in your body. The anti-oxidant power of flossing works to decrease inflammation on a cellular level too.
To put it simply, poor dental hygiene leads to inflamed gums. Inflamed gums become an open door to the body for opportunistic bacteria which are in your mouth. Once the bacteria get underneath the gum line they have easy access to the bloodstream where they cause inflammation of the blood vessels and depositing of fat and plaque along the arterial walls. If these deposits continue to be laid down, the arteries can eventually become entirely blocked.
So to prevent this scenario and promote heart health, floss daily. It’s simple and inexpensive. A daily flossing ritual may do a lot more than protect your pearly whites.
To help fight gum disease and promote heart health with one activity, use these tips to get the most out of that little white string:
- Be sure to slide the floss under your gum line and to gently curl it around each tooth as you floss.
- Floss gently, but don’t quit because your gums bleed. Eventually, they will become stronger and bleed less with regular flossing.
- Use fresh floss for each tooth juncture.
- If you find it difficult to manipulate floss with your fingers, purchase dental-floss picks or holders that anchor sections of floss for you in a small, U-shaped plastic device.
Tips above are from: Healthy Teeth, Healthy Heart, Get the facts about flossing, gum disease and heart disease.
Keep flossing, Dina 203.744.YOU3 (9683)
