Reading This Will Make You Want to Floss

Each time you brush and floss, you’re doing more than freshening your breath and preserving your smile. Research suggests you may also be improving your overall health—and maybe even extending your lifespan.

People often see dentistry largely as a cosmetic specialty, says Anita Aminoshariae, a professor of endodontics at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine. But “the mouth is not disconnected from the rest of the body,” she says. Quite the opposite: studies suggest...