Flossing may seem futile at the end of a long day, but research shows protecting your pearly whites could help keep your heart strong.

According to Dr. Parikh, when your mouth is unclean or you have an abscess, a cavity or gum disease that goes untreated, their bacteria ends up in your bloodstream, eventually making its way into the valves of the heart. The bacteria from your mouth can grow on those valves, put pressure on them and even cause them to rupture or break. This condition, called endocarditis, can be life-threatening.

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