Your grandmother may have slept with her dentures in a jar by the side of the bed but with improved dentistry and good oral hygiene, younger generations can expect to keep their own teeth.

However if you are one of the 98 per cent of people in the UK that the Dental Health Foundation estimates is not regularly flossing, your gums and teeth won’t be as healthy as they could be and your health might be being suffering in quite surprising ways.

“Gum disease, caused by the build up of bacteria on the teeth is really an infection in your mouth,” explains Dr Payman Langroudi, a dentist with Enlighten Smiles (www.enlightensmiles.com). “An infection of any type is not good for the body, especially in people whose capability to fight infection may be compromised by an illness such as diabetes or an immune disease.”

Flossing once a day reaches the 35 per cent of the mouth that can’t be reached by brushing alone and is vital protection against swollen, red and bleeding gums that can later lead to periodontal disease and ultimately, without treatment, to gums and bone being destroyed and teeth falling out.

According to Belgian researchers reporting in the journal Clinical Oral Investigations, the most effective treatment for bad breath involves the three pronged approach of flossing, toothbrushing and tongue scraping. “Flossing helps keep your breath more pleasant by removing the malodorous bacterial film that can’t be removed by brushing alone,” says Dr Langroudi.

However it’s not just your mouth that can benefit. Here are some ways that daily flossing can contribute to general health.

Full article here:  http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/210428/Why-flossing-can-prevent-a-heart-attack 

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