Every time you visit the dentist you always get asked, “Have you been flossing?” For many of us, the answer is usually no, which is accompanied by some sort of excuse. Yet, the dentist still tries to drill into your head the importance of flossing at least once a day.
What many people do not know is flossing is actually an important step in your oral hygiene. Unlike brushing, which cleans the tops and outer surfaces of your gums and teeth, floss is what cleans in between your teeth. It is made just for that, and to clean the tops of your gums.
3 Reasons Why You Need to Floss Every Day
It is evident that flossing can keep your smile pretty and healthy for years to come. Plus, a healthy mouth can prevent a lot of oral diseases. Let’s discuss three major points to why you should floss at least once a day.
1) Flossing + Brushing = Better Hygiene
If you are like a lot of individuals, you think flossing is a waste of time since you brush your teeth regularly. While brushing your teeth will help, it doesn’t do the complete job since you are not tending to the spaces in between your teeth.
As you know, a toothbrush can remove the plaque on your teeth. But, the toothbrush can’t get to the top of your gums or the reach the spaces in between your teeth. This is why you need to floss.
Dental floss can get in the nook and cranny’s that your toothbrush can’t. It allows you to break up the plaque that is stuck in the spaces of your teeth. This is where many people develop cavities and even gum disease.
2) Flossing Protects Your Gums
You need to floss where the gums and teeth meet. The reasons for this are because tiny food particles get stuck there, and plaque will harden over time to form tartar.
If you have too much tartar buildup, you can easily get gingivitis. Leaving gingivitis untreated leads to the formation of periodontitis, which can result in the loss of teeth.
Floss gets deeper within those spaces between the teeth and gums. It then removes the food, plaque and anything else stuck in your gums that mouthwash and a toothbrush can’t.
3) Flossing Prevents Gum Disease & Other Diseases
Tooth and gum diseases not only yellow teeth, they also produce bad breath. They are also linked to respiratory illness, diabetes and even heart disease. These diseases can turn into life-threatening, chronic illnesses.
That is why good oral hygiene, meaning brushing and flossing, is vital in order to keep these diseases at bay. If you do not practice healthy oral care, you will have a greater chance of getting an oral disease that may or may not take your life.
If these three reasons do not get you into flossing your teeth at least once a day, maybe there’s no hope for you. But, the bottom line is, flossing keeps your teeth looking white and healthy for many years to come.