IF YOU DO ONE THING THIS WEEK . . . DON’T FORGET TO FLOSS

Go on, be honest: do you floss your teeth? A survey in Ireland over the summer found that almost half the adults questioned admitted to not cleaning between their pearlies on a regular basis.

The survey, carried out for dental chain Redmond Molloy, polled 600 people and found that just 50.7 per cent reported flossing regularly.

Waterford came tops for flossing, with south Dublin trailing a good way behind, according to the study.

“Brushing without flossing means that you are cleaning only 60 per cent of your teeth. Flossing removes the tiny food particles trapped between the teeth which a tooth brush cannot reach,” says dentist Robert Molloy.

“Recent studies have also indicated that flossing can reduce the risk of heart attack as a result of the close relation between gum disease and heart attack. There is a wealth of evidence suggesting that oral bacteria can enter the bloodstream through the gums, contributing to blockages in the arteries, increasing the risk of clots.”