I keep seeing stuff about how gum disease can mess with your heart and even things like diabetes. Honestly, I never really thought about it until my dentist started going on about it last visit. Quick poll—do you guys actually floss daily, sometimes, or... not at all? And do you buy into the whole “your mouth affects your whole body” thing? Curious if I’m the only one who’s kinda skeptical or just lazy.
Quick poll—do you guys actually floss daily, sometimes, or... not at all? And do you buy into the whole “your mouth affects your whole body” thing?
Honestly, I used to be in the "sometimes" camp for flossing, especially since dental stuff can get pricey if you need more than a basic cleaning. But after my last checkup (and a surprise bill for a deep cleaning), I started taking it more seriously. I was skeptical about the whole mouth-body connection too, but my cousin had some heart issues and her doc actually asked about her gums... wild. Anyone else notice dental costs adding up when you slack off?
I used to be in the "sometimes" camp for flossing, especially since dental stuff can get pricey if you need more than a basic cleaning.
Same here. I was never consistent with flossing until my hygienist showed me photos of my own gums—kind of a wake-up call. The “mouth-body” link seemed a bit far-fetched at first, but after reading about the inflammation connection (periodontitis and cardiovascular risk), I’m starting to rethink it. I haven’t had major dental bills yet, but honestly, I do worry about those costs piling up if I get complacent. It’s weird how something as small as flossing can make such a difference.
That “mouth-body” connection used to sound like a stretch to me too, but after my last checkup, I’m not so sure anymore. My dentist pointed out some early gum issues and mentioned the same inflammation thing—honestly, it freaked me out a bit. I get what you mean about the cost worries. It’s wild how skipping something as basic as flossing can snowball into bigger (and pricier) problems down the line.
I’ve started being more regular with flossing, even though I still miss days here and there. I haven’t noticed any dramatic changes, but at least it feels like I’m doing something proactive. You’re definitely not alone in rethinking things after seeing those before-and-after gum pics...they’re kind of hard to forget. It’s weird how much little habits add up over time.
Yeah, I used to shrug off all the gum talk too—felt like another thing dentists say to guilt-trip you into flossing. But after a couple of those “your gums are looking angry” comments and seeing my insurance barely cover the deep cleanings, I started taking it more seriously. I’ll be real, I still don’t floss every single day, but way more than before. Not sure if it’s all hype, but I figure it can’t hurt to try and avoid more expensive problems later.
