{"id":72494,"date":"2025-08-16T10:31:30","date_gmt":"2025-08-16T10:31:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/72494\/"},"modified":"2025-08-16T10:31:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T10:31:30","slug":"doctor-reveals-tiny-habit-that-could-help-prevent-heart-attack-and-dementia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/72494\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctor Reveals Tiny Habit That Could Help Prevent Heart Attack and Dementia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A simple ritual that takes less than two minutes could have life-changing health benefits.<\/p>\n

Naturopathic Doctor Mac Toohey, known online as Dr. Mac, has stated that she maintains a popular habit after every single meal to protect herself from serious health issues.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a TikTok video viewed nearly 70,000 times, she highlighted that oral health impacts far more than people\u2019s smiles.<\/p>\n

HighlightsA doctor has stated that flossing after every meal helps prevent heart attack, stroke, and dementia.Research has linked gum disease bacteria to brain cell damage and Alzheimer\u2019s.Flossing may also lower risks for heart disease, stroke, and possibly even certain cancers.Oral health is typically overlooked, but it is actually related to a lot of serious health concerns<\/p>\n

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Image credits: Doctor Mac<\/a><\/p>\n

According to the American Dental Association, flossing should be done at least once a day, yet surveys show only 32% of Americans follow this advice, according to theNew York Post<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another 32% of the same study\u2019s respondents admitted that they never floss at all.<\/p>\n

Dr. Mac stated that this is a dangerous oversight because bacteria that causes gum disease or gingivitis do not just stay in the mouth.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Image credits: Unsplash \/ Jordan Gonz\u00e1lez<\/a><\/p>\n

They can enter the bloodstream and reach other organs, triggering serious health problems.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you see me flossing after every meal, it\u2019s because I am terrified of having a heart attack and terrified of getting dementia when I\u2019m older,\u201d Dr. Mac said in her TIkTok video.<\/p>\n

In 2019, scientists at the Broegelmanns Research Laboratory in Norway\u2019s University of Bergen found DNA evidence that \u201cbacteria causing gingivitis can move from the mouth to the brain.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Image credits: TikTok \/ drtoohey<\/a><\/p>\n

Once there, the bacteria can release a protein that destroys brain cells, contributing to memory loss and dementia.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The study involved 53 people with Alzheimer\u2019s, 96% of whom tested positive for the destructive enzyme.<\/p>\n

Chia-Shu Lin, a professor of dentistry at the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan, stated that it\u2019s high time the public puts a lot of attention to theiroral health<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe public needs to be more aware of the correlation between oral health and cognitive abilities,\u201d the professor stated.<\/p>\n

Flossing can help keep the heart healthy, and it helps reduce stroke risks, too<\/p>\n

Heart health is also closely linked to gum health. People with gum disease are 28% more likely to suffer a heart attack, according to medical studies.\u00a0<\/p>\n

@drtoohey<\/a> flossing isn\u2019t just about saving your smile \u2014 it\u2019s about saving your heart and mind too #dementia<\/a>#dementiaawareness<\/a>#brainhealth<\/a>#healthyheart<\/a>#holistichealing<\/a>\u266c original sound \u2013 Dr. Mac<\/a><\/p>\n

Gastroenterologist Dr. Saurabh Sethi explained that goodbrushing<\/a> and flossing habits, along with regular dental checkups, are tied to healthier hearts and reduced cardiovascular risk.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudies show that people who brush their teeth regularly, along with getting dental cleanings, tend to have healthier hearts and a lower risk of heart disease,\u201d Dr. Sethi said.<\/p>\n

Good oral health habits can also influence stroke risk.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Image credits: TikTok \/ drtoohey<\/a><\/p>\n

A recent study found that flossing at least once a week is linked to a 22% lower risk of ischemic stroke, a 44% lower risk of cardioembolic stroke, and a 12% lower risk of atrial fibrillation.<\/p>\n

\u201cOral health behaviors are linked to inflammation and artery hardening. Flossing may reduce stroke risk by lowering oral infections and inflammation and encouraging other healthy habits,\u201d said lead author Dr. Souvik Sen.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dr. Sen also noted thatflossing<\/a> is inexpensive and easy to do, making it one of the most accessible preventive measures available.<\/p>\n

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Image credits: Unsplash \/ Jair L\u00e1zaro<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cMany people have expressed that dental care is costly. Flossing is a healthy habit that is easy to adopt, affordable and accessible everywhere,\u201d Dr. Sen said.<\/p>\n

Recent research has also linking gum bacteria to certain cancers, including head and neck cancers.\u00a0For Dr. Mac, that\u2019s one more reason to keep dental floss within reach at all times.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt might seem crazy that flossing could have such an enormous health impact,\u201d she admitted, but it \u201cmakes sense because everything\u2019s connected.\u201d<\/p>\n

ADVERTISEMENTDr. Mac\u2019s advice has received varied responses from netizens<\/p>\n

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Image credits: Unsplash \/ Josue Michel<\/a><\/p>\n

While Dr. Mac\u2019s advice has been received warmly by numerous netizens, some have stated that it\u2019s high time for healthcare insurance providers to includedental care<\/a> in their policies.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf science backs up this article, then maybe it\u2019s time for medical insurance providers to include eyesight, hearing aids, and dental care in our policies. As far as I know, eyes, ears and teeth are body parts,\u201d one commenter wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd yet dental isn\u2019t considered health care, and you have to have a separate policy for it, which most people can afford!\u201d Wrote another.<\/p>\n

Others, however, simply appreciated Dr. Mac\u2019s advice.<\/p>\n

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Image credits: Unsplash \/ Kateryna Hliznitsova<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is such useful information! Sometimes just a small habit after meals can help prevent serious conditions like heart attacks, strokes, or dementia. Definitely worth trying to protect our long-term health,\u201d wrote one commenter.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was in school for dental assisting, one of my teachers was an oral surgeon and he told us one of the leading causes of heart disease is gum disease and if people simply flossed after eating a meal, it reduces the risk greatly. So while she may seem silly, it\u2019s true,\u201d another wrote.<\/p>\n

Netizens weighed in on Dr. Mac\u2019s oral advice on social media<\/p>\n

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