True or False: The inside of your mouth contains more than 700 types of bacteria, in addition to fungi, protozoa, and viruses.

True or false: If you don't floss, you miss cleaning 40% of the surface of your teeth.

The answers: true and true.

Do you know what else is true? If you take care of your gums (flossing, brushing, regular teeth cleanings), you can get out of the hospital faster after suffering a heart attack.

A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association looked at people who got dental cleanings or periodontal (gum) care from 2016 to 2018, and who had a heart attack in 2017. Around 64% of those people were taking care of their oral health before their heart attack; 36% skipped oral healthcare before theirs.

It turned out that those who neglected their teeth and gums spent significantly more time in the hospital recovering than the people with a healthy mouth.

The researchers also looked at follow-up visits in the 30 days after those people left the hospital. Oral health was associated with more follow-up visits — perhaps because those folks are better at taking care of themselves with regular checkups.

Your oral health is intertwined with whole-body health. According to the American Academy of Periodontology, gum disease is also associated with diabetes and Alzheimer's, and guys with gum disease are 49% more likely to develop kidney cancer and 54% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.

See dental professionals regularly for cleaning and gum care.