Experts say that brushing your teeth is a necessary part of daily life. However, brushing alone is not enough to remove bacteria between teeth, which may lead to cavities. Because of this, dentists recommend adding flossing as a part of their daily oral hygiene regimen.
Flossing correctly and consistently will prevent plaque from building up on your teeth, reducing the chances of cavities and other oral problems. Flossing also benefits our overall health.
Here are some of the benefits of regular flossing.
Why should you floss when you brush your teeth twice a day? Flossing your teeth benefits you in more ways than you realize. Dentists recommend them because it has been shown to prevent other diseases and dental problems.
Regular flossing benefits your teeth and overall health by:
Preventing Plaque Buildup
Brushing alone does not guarantee the complete removal of food particles between teeth and gums. These are difficult places for toothbrush bristles to reach; plaque will soon build up in these places if they are not cleaned properly.
Plaque deposits often go unnoticed because they are hard to spot. This buildup should not stay on your teeth for too long; the bacteria in plaque release acids that eventually damage enamel, your teeth’s protective layer.
Floss can reach these spaces and rid them of food particles that cause plaque buildup.
Preventing Gum Disease
The spaces between the teeth are not the only places plaque buildup occurs; it also happens along the gum line. And if plaque buildup is not removed, your gums will develop gum diseases.
If not treated promptly, gum diseases can cause swelling, bleeding, tooth decay, and bone loss; all the more reason to floss your teeth every day.
Bad breath, or halitosis, is caused by food particles trapped between the teeth and gum line. Other conditions like gum disease, dental abscesses, and cavities also cause bad breath.
Flossing prevents bad breath by preventing these common causes of bad breath.
Reducing Risk of Heart Disease and Controlling Diabetes
Flossing your teeth prevents problems with your mouth, reduces the risk of developing heart disease, and helps control diabetes.
Gingivitis can cause your gums to bleed. And bleeding means your gums have a small cut where bacteria can enter your bloodstream, which increases the risk of developing blood clots or heart disease. These bacteria can also damage your other organs. Brushing twice a day and flossing once a day will help prevent these from happening.
Many people are surprised to learn that flossing and diabetes are linked. Bacteria buildup in your mouth affects the glucose levels in your blood, which is a severe problem for diabetes patients. It eventually leads to varying glucose levels that worsen your condition.
Protecting Against Respiratory Problems
Keeping your mouth clean prevents bacteria from building up because it’s connected to your throat and the respiratory system. Bacteria can also infiltrate your respiratory system and cause diseases like pneumonia.
How to Floss Teeth: Step by Step
Regular flossing will not be effective if you don’t know how to floss correctly. Here’s how:
- Cut about 18 to 24 inches of dental floss and wrap it around both of your middle fingers. This will leave about an inch or two of floss that you can use on your teeth.
- Pull the floss taut using your index and thumb fingers.
- Place the floss between two teeth, then gently slide the floss up and down. Do not slide the floss into your gums, or you’ll damage them.
- When you reach a point near your tooth’s base, form a C-shape to allow you to floss between your teeth and gum line.
- Repeat these steps as you go from one tooth to the next. Remember to use fresh floss for each tooth.
Depending on your needs, you also have various options on which dental floss to use. You may also ask dentists at Century Dental to learn more about flossing and other ways to keep your teeth healthy.
When and How Often Should You Floss?
The American Dental Association states that flossing your teeth once a day and brushing twice a day will help you maintain good oral health. You may floss any time of the day, but flossing in the morning or at night before bed is good. You can choose to start the day or go to bed with a clean mouth.
Sometimes, brushing your teeth is not enough to keep your teeth and gums protected from oral problems.
Flossing is one of the most effective ways to maintain oral health. Aside from preventing plaque buildup, it also prevents gum disease, bad breath, and heart disease. It also helps control diabetes.
Regular flossing won’t be effective if you’re doing it wrong; it’s best to learn how to do it properly. Experts recommend flossing once a day and brushing twice a day to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
However, according to this dentist who does the best dental implants in Lexington, if flossing is too time-consuming for you, remember that you can always use interdental brushes instead.
