Avoid All the Diseases of Old Age With a Three-Minute Habit
If you were told that a three-minute daily habit would work wonders to keep your heart, brain, lungs, joints, and blood-sugar levels healthy – and even help you live longer – would you be game?
Again, just three measly minutes each day.
It sounds like a miracle intervention to prevent the illnesses that we encounter as we age...
But unfortunately, just one-third of folks middle-aged and older do this daily.
And 30% to 44% of folks in this age group don't even bother.
That intervention is flossing.
It might seem like a waste of time, but as we age, flossing becomes critically important. That's because our gums recede naturally over time, leaving us more vulnerable to gum disease (also known as periodontal disease, or periodontitis).
A 2011 study estimated that seniors who never flossed had a 30% higher mortality rate during the study period than the daily flossers.
As it turns out, perpetually puffy and painful gums can put you at higher risk of heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, and dementia, to name a few.
Over the decades, we've learned that poor oral health is linked to chronic inflammation – a primary driver of many illnesses.
Irritated gums mean areas for bacteria to slip in and make their way through your bloodstream. In turn, your immune cells deploy to fight, resulting in inflammation. Repeat this process from chronically irritated gums and you get the idea.
Here's a look at some of the serious health problems linked to poor oral health...
Cardiovascular disease: The inflammation can damage your blood vessels and cause plaque to build up as well as blood clots to develop, resulting in heart disease and strokes.
A study of 6,278 healthy adults found that regardless of brushing habits or regularly seeing the dentist, flossing was linked to a 22% lower risk of stroke caused by blocked blood flow, 44% lower risk of stroke caused by blood clots in the heart, and 12% lower risk of irregular heartbeat.
Folks suffering from gum disease have triple the risk of heart attack and stroke. They're 20% more likely to also have hypertension, too. And a 2022 meta-analysis found that treating periodontitis ended up reducing levels of fasting blood sugar and C-reactive protein, a sign of systemic inflammation.
Another study published in June 2023 examined the brushing habits of 1,675 adults who visited the hospital in a three-year period. Researchers discovered that the folks who only brushed their teeth in the morning were twice as likely to suffer from and die of cardiovascular disease during the study period than those who brushed twice a day.
Diabetes: Several studies have associated diabetes with a higher chance of developing periodontitis. But wait, there's more bad news... Severe gum disease and its inflammation can make cells insulin resistant.
That, of course, leads to constantly high blood-sugar levels, which means problems fighting infections. Plus, diabetes can reduce saliva production so less plaque gets washed away. Diabetes can also increase glucose levels in the saliva, too, which provides more food for harmful bacteria.
Diabetes and gum disease are, as scientists have called them, a "two-way street." For example, one study published in 2023 in Cureus reported that Type 2 diabetics who received nonsurgical treatment for their periodontitis showed decreased blood levels of inflammatory markers, as well as improved blood-sugar control.
Alzheimer's disease and dementia: A study published in August 2023 in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology linked periodontitis to poor cognitive performance and higher baseline levels of markers for Alzheimer's disease. Another study with mice found that oral bacteria that travel to our brains can make microglial cells there go haywire. (These helpful cells gobble up the amyloid plaque that clumps up in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.)
Also, a 2019 study found the same bacteria that cause gingivitis in the brains of 53 deceased Alzheimer's patients. These bacteria release enzymes called gingipains, which animal studies have shown to cause memory problems and inflammation in the brain.
And get this... A Neurology Open Access study published last month found that among 1,143 adults aged 77 on average, gum disease sufferers were more likely to have damage in the white matter of their brains. White-matter brain tissue is important for normal functioning of memory, balance, and coordination.
Lung disease: Brushing can remove up to 60% of plaque, but adding flossing removes even more... making it less likely for bacteria to hitch a ride on saliva droplets that get inhaled into the lungs. And if you happen to have damaged lungs that have trouble fighting off pathogens, then that oral bacteria can end up worsening your lung woes or causing new infections.
Rheumatoid arthritis: Studies have linked gum disease to this painful condition that damages the joints and limbs. The culprit? A key bacterium in chronic gum disease thought to trigger an immune and inflammatory response.
So why don't people floss?
Some say they don't have time, or it's hard for them to do it. But flossing takes just a few minutes, and its health benefits make it worth it. Some older folks with arthritis or dexterity issues from a stroke could have trouble maneuvering the thin piece of floss. But lots of products out there, like the Y-shaped floss picks, can make the process much easier.
But the most common reason dentists hear from patients who don't floss is "My gums bleed and it hurts when I do it." Healthy gums don't bleed from flossing, so if yours do, you should be flossing more, not less. The more you do it, the easier it will get.
So stop making excuses and start flossing...
Pull the floss around the tooth in a "C" shape. With the floss wrapping one side of the tooth, gently slide the floss straight up and down a couple of times without a seesawing motion to dislodge plaque under the gumline. (Remember, it's not a log-sawing competition.)
The process should take about three minutes, on average, for someone with all 28 teeth (if they've had their wisdom teeth removed). And I recommend flossing before brushing.
If you have trouble flossing, do it under bright lighting and in front of a mirror. It helps to wind the floss around the index fingertip of each hand.
Make sure you floss regularly... Shoot for every day and after meals. Your mouth and body will thank you.
P.S. Research has also linked poor oral hygiene with liver disease...
The most common type – nonalcoholic fatty liver disease ("NAFLD") – alters the way your body metabolizes fats, which can mess with the delicate balance between the different bacteria living in your mouth and raise your risk of gum disease.
At the same time, gum disease also has links to worsening of NAFLD due to systemic inflammation that worsens liver damage. (I recently dispelled some major myths surrounding NAFLD. If you're not a subscriber yet, why not give my flagship newsletter a try for a month?)
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Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
November 4, 2025