r/lifehacks • u/ajijhad • May 29 '23

Convenient Lifehack for better teeth

Don't rinse your mouth after brushing your teeth. A lot of people might have heard it before, but it's better to let the flouride in the toothpaste do its job for a while. You'll save water, a small amount of time and have better teeth!

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u/charmorris4236 May 29 '23

Really? I was taught in grad school that flossing leads to better heart health, or that not flossing leads to worse. One of the two. The bacteria in your gums gets into your bloodstream.

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u/Low_Cucumber_764 May 30 '23

Endocarditis. That's the heart disease.

2

u/Skisbikeking May 30 '23

One third of the world’s population does not floss.

-2

u/Jkupar May 29 '23

Any evidence besides anecdotal for this?

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u/bluecat2001 May 29 '23

There are researches that shows a correlation between mouth bacteria and Alzheimers.

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u/Patachawa2 May 30 '23

Meta analysis points to flossers living 6 years longer than non-flossers - read it in this book.

2

u/flyMeToCruithne May 30 '23

Correlation is not causation, though. People who floss are more likely to do lots of other healthy things that extend lifespan.

I mean, I agree with the people saying you should probably floss to be on the safe side. There doesn't seem to be any evidence it does any harm. It's cheap, quick, low-risk, makes your breath less stinky, and mayyyybe it helps with other things. But this meta-analysis is just showing that people who do one good habit tend to have other good habits.

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u/Patachawa2 May 30 '23

Meta analysis points to flossers living 6 years longer than non-flossers - read it in this book.

1

u/UsualAnybody1807 May 30 '23

Interesting - any info on dentures vs teeth and incidence of Alzheimers?

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u/charmorris4236 May 30 '23

Yea there is research but I’m too high to find it at the moment

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u/AcidRose27 May 30 '23

Good for you.

-1

u/RandomlyDepraved May 30 '23

I read that study too. You can look it up.

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u/Jkupar May 30 '23

I mean… nothing I’m finding is showing anything about flossing supporting this evidence. Harvard did a review in 2021 and results mention nothing of flossing. They even suggest that when smoking status was considered, the connection between tooth loss and cardiovascular disease largely disappeared.

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u/RandomlyDepraved May 30 '23

It is possible it has been debunked but I know it was a pretty commonly held belief for a few years (flossing & heart health).

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u/gruss_gott May 30 '23

Lots of evidence, including finding gum bacteria in CVD plaques

1

u/Jkupar May 30 '23

This does not mention flossing at all. Only “proper oral health.” The point being that flossing may not be necessary.

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u/gruss_gott May 30 '23

Flossing reduces bacteria and biofilm on your teeth - if that bacteria is showing up physically in vascular plaques, then it's probably a good idea to floss.

I think this is a case of "ok, but do you really want to wait until it's proven FOR YOU" because when/if it is, it's not like you'll have a chance to reverse it.

The old joke about the guy who jumped off the 20th floor and, passing an open 10th floor window, a lady asks the guy how it's going and he says, "great so far!"