Are you an avid flosser? Many of us periodically skip this needed habit. Studies show that around 68% of men and women report flossing at least once a week while 20% say they really never floss. Skipping the regular flossing routine can have devastating consequences on your overall dental health and lead to costly dental work in the future. Find out more about 3 major ways flossing helps protect us from gingivitis, and decay and enhances our social lives.
1. Helps Fight Cavities
Every time we eat, small remnants of food are left behind. It’s common for these tiny bits of food to build up in between our teeth without us always being aware. When we floss, it gets rid of all these bits of food and helps reduce the amount of plaque buildup on our teeth.
If we’re not flossing regularly, more and more plaque will form and put us at risk of developing cavities. When plaque begins to cover our teeth, the enamel is slowly worn down and can result in a tiny hole which we call a cavity. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends flossing at least once per day to prevent this build-up of plaque.
2. Prevents Gum Disease
Gum disease is a major dental issue and can leave you with fewer teeth if not properly taken care of in a timely manner. There are four stages to gum disease and the first signs usually show up as blood in your gums after flossing or brushing. Anytime we’re flossing and notice this, we can take it as a sign we’re not flossing thoroughly enough. The bleeding in our gums creates an accumulation of plaque and tartar along the gumline.
Flossing is a great way to clear away this plaque from our teeth. With a piece of floss, we can reach areas a toothbrush can’t reach. If we avoid flossing for long bouts, more and more tartar can build up and become harder to clear away, so our gums bleed. Plaque and tartar allow certain bacteria to accrue and seep in between our gums, damaging our teeth in the process.
3. Freshens Your Breath
Have you ever wondered why your breath is stale at times? This could be due to a lack of flossing, even if you brush routinely. When you brush your teeth, you clear away small amounts of saliva, food, and a variety of fluids from your teeth. If you don’t brush regularly, everything sticks to your teeth and results in foul-smelling breath. The same thing can happen when we start minimizing the amount of time we spend flossing. Since the food is collecting at a slower rate, we may not notice our breath turning sour. Eventually, this will lead to covering our mouths during a conversation.
Conclusion
Even if flossing is the hardest part of your oral health regimen, refusing to floss is not worth the risk. Removing the bacteria in between your teeth frequently is crucial to your dental health and will keep your breath smelling fresh.
Flossing and brushing are the best preventative measures to avoid gum disease. Remember to have twice-yearly professional dental cleanings as well. If you’re not currently flossing, it’s best to start sooner rather than later. Unexpected cavities can be expensive to treat and damaging to your health.
Contact Kenneth Hovden DDS:
650-755-6000
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
901 Campus Dr Ste 202
Daly City, California
94015
