There’s no shortage of hacks, snacks, and habits that purportedly help you stay healthier for longer. But while we’re busy chasing cutting-edge upgrades—from cold plunges and greens powders to living by the gospel of your Oura ring—we tend to miss out on less sexy yet still powerful tweaks that have been shown to meaningfully move the needle on long-term health.
One such staple is the humble roll of floss, which is probably collecting dust in your medicine cabinet. However, you should probably break it out nightly not just for a brighter, cleaner smile, but to potentially benefit your heart and brain, too.
Keep reading to see why skipping that single strand of string could have consequences that go far beyond tender gums.
Why flossing is non-negotiable
If you believe that brushing twice daily will suffice for oral health, you’re in for some sobering news. According to Kami Hoss, DDS, author of If Your Mouth Could Talk: An In-Depth Guide to Oral Health and Its Impact on Your Entire Life, your toothbrush cleans only 60 percent of the surface of your teeth. Read: If you don’t floss, nearly half of your mouth goes uncleaned day after day.
“Flossing is a simple but critical intervention because it disrupts bacterial biofilm between the teeth—areas a toothbrush cannot reach,” adds board-certified periodontist Richard Nejat, DDS. When you floss consistently, you reduce bacterial load, plaque buildup, and gum inflammation—all of which can help keep periodontal disease (a.k.a. gum disease) at bay. And there’s a decent chance you’ll be affected: Per the Cleveland Clinic, about half of adults in the U.S. have some form of gum disease.
The tissue surrounding these small crevices also warrants your full attention. “The sulcus—the shallow groove where your gum meets your tooth—is lined with some of the most permeable tissue in the human body,” Dr. Hoss tells SELF. “It’s richly vascularized, meaning bacteria and whatever compounds we introduce there have a remarkably direct pathway into the bloodstream.” And here’s where the longevity benefits of flossing come into play.
The link between flossing and disease prevention
On top of staving off periodontal disease, research shows that regular flossing is associated with reduced risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and stroke. It can also be an important part of managing diabetes. Meanwhile, poor flossing habits have been associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD mortality. And according to one study of over 5,000 older adults, never flossing increased mortality risk by 30% compared to flossing daily.
So how can one tiny string make such a big difference in long-term health outcomes? For starters, you have some unfriendly bacteria to contend with. “Porphyromonas gingivalis, which occurs in the mouth, infects the gums and causes gum disease and periodontitis,” says Jennifer Timmons, MD, a longevity physician and the founder of Timmons Wellness. She says that this bacteria is present in atherosclerotic plaque that can plug arteries during a heart attack, while Dr. Hoss adds that it’s also been found in the brain tissue of Alzheimer’s patients. That’s why addressing it at the source matters. “If you don’t floss, [the bacteria] can enter the bloodstream and lead to blood vessel inflammation, damage, and tiny blood clots that could cause heart attacks or strokes in other areas,” Dr. Timmons warns. (She notes that these are correlations, not proven causations, though the associations are strong.)
Flossing also actively helps decrease inflammation in the gums, thereby preventing a cascade of vascular damage throughout the body, Dr. Timmons explains. After all, inflammation is a major driver of not only gum disease but also the chronic conditions listed above. When you don’t floss, inflammation proliferates in the mouth—and it doesn’t stay put. “Chronic gum disease creates a systemic inflammatory burden that touches almost every major disease category,” Dr. Hoss warns. That doesn’t mean flossing is a panacea, but it highlights how interconnected oral health and overall health really are.
The right way to floss
If you already floss daily, rest assured that you’re ahead of the game. For the rest of us who skimp here and there—or have yet to make flossing routine, despite the awkward biannual urges from our dentist—now’s a great time to pick up the habit.
Dr. Hoss advises flossing at night rather than in the morning. “You’re sealing your mouth for six to eight hours. Clearing that biofilm before bed matters far more than doing it after breakfast,” he says. He also recommends good old string floss above the likes of picks and water flossers, as neither can get into the nooks and crannies at and below the gumline as efficiently. (If traditional floss is tough to maneuver, these alternatives are still better than skipping it altogether.) As for the right way to floss? “Curve it into a ‘C’ shape around each tooth and use an up-and-down motion,” he shares.
The bottom line
In short, flossing is crucial to maintain oral health, and good oral health has clear downstream effects on the rest of the body. Since heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States—and dementia significantly impacts both quality and length of life —anything that meaningfully reduces risk, even modestly, matters in the longevity conversation. “While flossing alone is not a cure-all for heart or brain health, it is one of the easiest daily habits that can support both oral and overall health,” says Dr. Nejat. All said, flossing might not be revolutionary, but it has surprisingly far-reaching potential.
