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Comment by suivix | Hacker News Reader

Has anyone considered that maybe the types of people who become educated are also more motivated?

People who floss their teeth have a 7 year higher life expectancy. Obviously, flossing your teeth doesn't increase it.

I agree with your primary point, but your follow-up example isn't the greatest... Flossing your teeth can have a real impact on health -- gum disease (which flossing is an excellent preventative agent against) can cause all sorts of serious health problems like increased risk of heart attack and stroke. People with periodontal disease have a 2x greater chance of coronary artery disease than people without periodontal disease. That's a pretty big deal.

The first point (gum disease can cause health problems) is most likely true, even if just intuitively, but they would have to be pretty serious to reduce life expectancy by 7 years - even smoking reduces it by 'only' 14 years, and I'd be hard pressed to believe that not flossing is half as dangerous as smoking.

The second argument is a classical cause/effect thing. I can't imagine that tooth diseases increase heart diseases by 100%, but I can very easily imagine that people with certain habits (eating lots of cheap unhealthy food with much fat and sugar) suffer from both.

Then again I don't know anything about this field, if there is any research that confirms your arguments I'd be surprised but interested.

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