You know you’re supposed to brush your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes each time…and floss daily and rinse with mouthwash. But did you know it could be preventing other diseases in your future?

Not brushing your teeth could lead to serious health consequences – like Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease (according to the latest research).

After reviewing 20 years of data on the association between Alzheimer’s disease and gum inflammation, researchers at NYU concluded that there is a link between the two. They found a strong association between gum inflammation and lower scores on a cognitive test (called the ‘digital symbol test’). In another study, researchers at the University of Central Lancashire found that bacteria associated with chronic gum disease were found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and absent from the patients without the disease. They found that the immune response to the bacteria in the brain could be accidentally damaging the surrounding parts of the brain related to memory.

Heart disease is currently the biggest killer in the western world. People with bleeding gums are at increased risk of heart disease. Researchers found that bacteria (some of the 700 different types of bacteria that live in our mouths) from the mouth is able to enter the bloodstream and form blood clots, interrupting the flow of blood to the heart and potentially triggering a heart attack.

So keep those teeth clean and lower your risk for these diseases later in life. To find out more, read this article from Medical News Today.