A Simple Yet So Important Habit

A few weeks ago I watched a Netflix comedy special with Jamie Foxx because I wanted to laugh. I ended up hearing the story of how he almost died at 55 years old of a stroke. A stroke. He didn’t go into medical details, and he did make it pretty funny at times, but it was serious. A stroke is also known as a "brain attack," and happens when blood flow to a part of the brain is disrupted, causing damage to brain tissue due to a blocked blood vessel (ischemic stroke) or a ruptured blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke), potentially leading to lasting disability or death if not treated promptly. About 795,000 Americans like Jamie Foxx will have a stroke this year. Now I don’t know what kind of stroke he had, or if it could have been prevented, but new research suggests that a common, healthy habit may reduce the risk of certain types of stroke.

Actually, it is a simple dental hygiene practice which can lower your risk of a stroke- but do you do it?

In early February 2025, the International Stroke Conference was held in Los Angeles, where a renowned vascular neurologist named Dr.Souvik Sen presented his research on which oral hygiene behavior had the greatest impact on preventing strokes. Was it brushing, flossing or regular dental check ups? Flossing was the determining factor in a study group of over 6,200 people over 25 years. That is a significant study. "I wouldn't say dental flossing is the only thing you need to do to prevent a stroke, but our findings suggest it is one more thing to be added to a healthy lifestyle," said lead researcher Dr. Souvik Sen.

“Many people have expressed that dental care is costly,” he continued. “Flossing is a healthy habit that is easy to adopt, affordable and accessible everywhere.”

This is good news for the 37% of Americans who claim they floss once a week. Nearly 32% of Americans admit they don’t floss at all, while the same amount report that they floss daily.

When our patients come in for a check up at my office in Darien, CT, we talk about flossing - types of floss, flossers, floss pics, super floss -we do what we can to encourage people to floss. We give samples in the goody bag we give at each visit. If we don’t have what we think might work for you, we’ll pop up a link on the screen and show you where you can get it. There are so many types and flavors, thick or thin, the options are endless. Just do it! Flossing gets in between the teeth, below the gum line and in areas brushing and rinsing just won’t get to. Flossing will remove the bacteria that gets into your bloodstream that can damage the small blood vessels in your brain, as well as to a buildup of plaque in the arteries that supply blood to the brain, which increases the risk of stroke.

So now you know - flossing is the simple secret to decreasing your risk of stroke, as well as getting your gums and teeth healthy and clean. If you aren’t sure how to do it properly, stop on by and ask us to show you! We will be happy to demonstrate and give you some free samples. See you soon at 5 Brook Street in The Corbin District of Darien, CT.