Sciota, Pennsylvania
While flossing only takes a minute or two out of your day, it’s kind of like making a bed, right? As dentists, we understand why you may skip over this critical component of your oral health regimen; after all, you may think, brushing for two minutes is enough.
Your toothbrush is excellent for removing plaque and bacteria from the surfaces of your teeth, but the bristles don’t completely reach between the teeth where food particles love to hang out and attract harmful bacteria. That’s why flossing is so important. If you aren’t flossing, you’re not fully cleaning your teeth, and you’re leaving yourself susceptible to tooth decay.
On today’s blog, our family dentist in Sciota is sharing the truth behind flossing your teeth.
Does flossing really matter?
It definitely does! Every dentist, including ours, recommends that you brush your teeth twice a day, floss once a day, eat a diet that is low in sugar and processed foods and visit the dentist twice a year for regular checkups and cleanings. This routine is vital to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. If you’re ignoring one component of that regime — flossing — then you’re doing yourself and your teeth a disservice. Flossing may seem like a tiny act, but it’s mighty! Flossing removes bacteria, plaque and leftover food particles from between your teeth. This reduces bad breath and your risk of developing gum disease from cavities forming in these otherwise hard-to-reach areas.
What’s the big deal if I don’t floss?
A lot, actually. The effects of not flossing slowly add up over many months and years. You won’t suddenly develop dental issues if you miss one night of flossing. But if you regularly skip flossing — or, worse, never floss — it will eventually lead to gum disease, which a majority of U.S. adults will have at some point in their lives.
Let’s talk about gum disease
Gum disease starts as gingivitis. This is when the gums are irritated or inflamed, and you may notice a tinge of pink in your toothpaste when you spit it out. That pink color is blood from your gums. The good news: This stage of gum disease is reversible with good oral hygiene, which includes daily flossing. If ignored, however, gingivitis progresses into periodontitis, which is the leading cause of tooth loss among U.S. adults.
Gum disease is an infection that causes chronic bad breath, receding gums, and loose teeth. Unfortunately, gum disease can also have devastating effects on the rest of your overall physical health, too. Studies have revealed that untreated gum disease increases the risk of heart disease, insulin resistance, and certain types of cancer because gum disease provokes a chronic inflammatory response in the body, which alters cells and is the precursor to many devastating diseases.
So in fact, something as simple and “tiny” as flossing will prevent tooth decay that leads to tooth loss. And flossing can also — quite literally — save your life!
What’s the correct way to floss?
Now that you understand the potential consequences of not flossing, let’s talk about how to floss correctly:
- Don’t pop the floss between your teeth. This can hurt and could injure your gums.
- Unravel about 12-18 inches of floss, wrapping each end around your index fingers on both hands.
- Using gentle pressure, push the floss between your teeth, rubbing it alongside the edges of each tooth, and in a “U” motion along your gums.
- Continue this until you’ve flossed between all your teeth.
(You may need floss threaders or interproximal brushes to reach under dental bridges or if you wear braces.)
Family dentist in Sciota, PA
Flossing may seem like an inconvenience, but it’s a critical component of your oral health regimen, and it only takes a minute or two each day. And just like all other habits, once flossing is part of your nightly bedtime
