Don't like to floss? Join the club. But there's one downside to membership: you may be denying yourself the opportunity to live an additional 6.4 years.

Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic discovered that bacteria from the mouth can enter the bloodstream, contributing to inflammation and clogging of the arteries. Top-Doc Michael F. Roizen supports these findings, and adds that flossing regularly can increase your life expectancy by 6.4 years.

So, even if you don't like flossing, do it at least once a day to remove food and plaque from your teeth and gums. And, as mentioned, the fact that it may keep you alive and healthy for an extra six years is more than enough to smile about.

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Maybe you know you have it and want to fix it. Maybe you don't know you have it, and your friends are trying to figure out a tactful way to tell you. Either way, bad breath -- or its more scientific name halitosis -- isn't a friend to anyone.

Bad breath can be blamed on the food you eat, but it's also sometimes an indicator of an underlying problem. The Times Online recently reviewed popular bad breath solutions. Some of them are tried and true, and some are based on little more than word of mouth:

Tried, but not yet proven to be helpful:

• chewing on parsley
• chewing special gum
• eating yogurt
• chewing fennel seeds
• chewing magnolia gum

Some research indicates it might help:

• rinsing with antibacterial mouthwash
• brushing with baking soda
• popping peppermint oil
• scraping your tongue

Proven health habits to keep bad breath at bay:

• staying hydrated
• munching on fruit
• brushing frequently
• quitting smoking
• eating breakfast
• flossing daily
• seeing dental and medical professionals to rule out underlying problems

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When you're noshing on some nachos, buffalo wings, and pizza this Sunday during the big game, the last thing you're probably thinking about is an inflammatory response by your body. It's sure to be a great match-up, we can hope that the commercials are going to be more entertaining, and the half-time show is always a lot of fun. So, why should we distract ourselves from any of this to worry about -- what was it? -- a freakin' inflammatory response?

Quite frankly, I doubt I'm going to allow myself such a distraction, either. But, once the game's over, you've left the party and are now settling in for the night, that's when it's time to address the issue. Wait a second ... how?

Flossing, that's how. Oral bacteria that cause gum disease can enter your bloodstream and trigger a -- yup, you guessed it -- an inflammatory response that affects your entire body. Based on a studies, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and elsewhere, suggest this may explain the link between gum disease and heart disease, as well as pancreatic cancer. That's why you really should break out the ol' spool of floss and dig out the remnants of your snacks from earlier that evening.

Oh, and by the way, Go Pats!!!

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Let's call a spade a spade here and just say it: If you're obese, consume too much salt in your diet, don't exercise, eat foods high in bad fats and high G.I. carbs, and smoke -- then chances are it's not too healthy. That being said, it stands to reason that if you can look at all of those things I just mentioned and honestly say that the opposite of each applies to you, your heart should be in tip-top shape. Right?

Right. And wrong ... maybe. Allow me to explain. Recent studies show that people who eat right, exercise, and live relatively healthy lives may still be at risk of heart attack. The reason(s) why fall outside of what people may typically associate as risk factors. For starters, are you depressed? If so, you may be at an increased risk. What about your red blood count? Is it low? If it is, this is further cause for at least some concern. And, do you have irregular or insufficient sleep? Again, this may throw you into the risk pool. Lastly -- and this is probably one of the last things you thought of when it comes to heart health -- do you floss on a regular basis? Because inflammation in the gums can lead to inflammation throughout the body, gum disease can increase your chances of having a heart attack.

All this adds up to the realization that we must be extremely aware of our heart health. Signs ranging from shoulder pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, and nausea should not be taken lightly, even if you are young and consider yourself healthy.

This is a statistic I can honestly say shocked me: 12% of people don't brush their teeth daily. Eeeeew! And it's not like they only brush once a day or something, which would be bad enough, but they don't even brush every day. Wow!

Now this was a British survey, so I'm hoping we're better than that over here in the U.S. Overall oral health has improved by leaps and bounds over the last 30 years or so, but obviously there is still room for improvement. And your oral health is not an area to be fudging on as it's been linked to heart disease and all kinds of other seemingly unrelated health conditions in recent research.

So brush and floss, people! We all need to, but those 12% especially -- you know who you are...

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Every New Year's I make a resolution, as many of us do, to adopt a healthier, more fit lifestyle by adding another "to do" to the list. This year the "to do" had nothing to do with what I eat or how much I work out. Instead I decided to listen to my dentist, who's been begging me for years to do one simple thing: Floss. And to do it every day.

Sure, we all claim we floss every day, a step in oral hygiene recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA), but how many of us are really in the habit? My mother is, for one. She flosses after practically every meal. I don't think I could hold myself to such high standards, but her attempts are admirable.

Ask her why she does it and she won't tout the same healthy reasons my dentist is always pointing out, such as the prevention of plaque and periodontal gum diseases including gingivitis. No, my mother says flossing simply makes her mouth feel cleaner. I tried it. She's right.

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Have you ever had bleeding gums before? Many of us know that bleeding gums are a sign of dental or periodontal disease -- and that should not be taken lightly just like any other tell-tale signs of ailments or disease anywhere on the body.

Although bleeding gums are often caused by a buildup of plaque along the gumline, the lack of proper dental care may cause plaque may harden to form tartar -- and that is difficult to remove without a dentist picking in your mouth with a sharp, pointed metal rod. That does not bring up pleasant thoughts at all. For me, anyway.

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If you brush your teeth twice a day -- like what is recommended -- do you floss twice a day as well? If so, are you doing it correctly?

Rarely do I see tips for effective flossing, so this list was very helpful and reminded me just how important it is to floss correctly -- just like brushing correctly. Although I rarely eat processed, fried or sugary foods, flossing to get the "gunk out" is wise regardless of diet I think.

Here are a few of the tips: Gently slide the dental floss around each tooth, pulling the floss tight. Use a back and forth motion, and be sure to guide the floss around each tooth. Never force the floss between two teeth as you may damage gums -- gently ease the floss between teeth.

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