Is Flossing Good for Your Heart?

We know some of the basic things we need to do for good heart health: eat a healthy diet with plenty of vegetables, keep physically active, maintain a healthy weight, manage stress and control your cholesterol and blood pressure. Flossing doesn’t typically make that top list of to-dos, but there does seem to be some connection between gum disease and heart disease.
Sasha Ross, DMD, MS, Periodontist for Cleveland Clinic, said in an article from Cleveland Clinic News Service, “…there’s really a very strong association between the two, where patients who have periodontal disease, they’re at a much greater risk for having heart disease, stroke, other issues like that.” But she also notes that the risk really depends on the person; some who don’t have good dental habits don’t have heart issues, and some who have the smallest amount of plaque do have heart issues.
The connection between oral health and heart health, according to Robert H. Shmerling, MD from Harvard Health Publishing, is because “bacteria that infect the gums and cause gingivitis and periodontitis also travel to blood vessels elsewhere in the body where they cause blood vessel inflammation and damage; tiny blood clots, heart attack and stroke may follow.” He also agrees that there may be other factors involved which may vary from person to person.
While gum disease may not directly cause heart disease, the two do seem to be connected in some way. So it sure seems like maintaining good oral health, including not smoking, getting regular dental care and, yes, flossing, is a good health habit to start and maintain.