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RolfAndreassen comments on Group rationality diary, 7/9/12 - Less Wrong Discussion
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I recently began flossing every other day. I've also been managing to maintain my exercise program, a very un-ambitious schedule of running 2 miles twice a week; I had a long break during the spring when I was much troubled with allergies.
On flossing, I want to note for others that my dentist said once every other day was sufficient. I like once a day so that when I forget it shouldn't matter. I haven't done any research to confirm or deny this, though. Also, the number I was given was that flossing increased your life expectancy by two years - prior to hearing this I had never motivated myself to floss.
I would be interested to know how carefully the analysis that produced that number dealt with, e.g., the likelihood that people sufficiently concerned and conscientious to floss their teeth regularly are also more likely to be taking good care of their bodies in other ways.
A little old now, but I just noticed this comment. My recollection of the dentists words were that it increased your life expectancy by two years. That is, if you were guessing how old someone would live, knowing that they flossed would put them at two years above an average person. In other words, there isn't necessarily the slightest bit of causality in this assessment. I still find this sufficient motivation to floss, so I don't care. It would be a good idea to not take this on faith if you were interested in the truth, rather than in just motivating yourself to floss.
Edit: the other thing that helped convince me was the dentist telling me that the bleeding you get when you start isn't that you haven't developed calluses or whatever, it's that your gums are swollen/irritated due to bacteria living off your teeth. Getting past the bleeding is a sign that your flossing is working and gums are no longer irritated.