Why your lungs love dental floss

Any way you like it — unwaxed or extra-slippery, minty or plain — make a daily date with your dental floss. This fast, cheap investment in good health just got even better for you with the news that preventing gum disease helps you sidestep serious lung problems.

Gum disease is way more common than you might think. Half of all adults have gingivitis, an early stage marked by red, swollen, bleeding gums. One in 12 adults has periodontitis, chronic gum inflammation and infection. Diabetes, smoking, chronic stress, pregnancy, menopause, nighttime tooth grinding, genetics, and aging all make gum trouble much more likely.

But the main culprit is plaque, that gooey, colorless mix of food particles, saliva, and bacteria that clings to teeth. Plaque buildup is preventable. Brushing helps, but it takes flossing to whisk it away from below the gum line, where disease starts, and, yep, regular trips to your dentist for cleaning and trouble-shooting. Grit your teeth and dial your dentist. Your gums, lungs, and dental hygienist will love you.

SOURCE: San Antonio Express News