Without a doubt, one of the first questions your dentist will ask during your regular checkup (or hopefully not in an emergency visit) is, “Do you floss regularly?” will be. You should always be able to correctly answer “Yes, I use it”.
Your dentist has good reason to ask if you floss regularly. While brushing your teeth and using an antibacterial mouthwash are just as important to your dental health, the benefits of flossing are often overlooked by many.
Many people do not realize the importance of daily flossing. Flossing plays a leading role in overall dental hygiene. Flossing is different from brushing and rinsing your teeth. Brushes clean the tops of your teeth and the outer surfaces, including your gums, and the mouthwash enters between your teeth for a final clean. However, none of these apps fully do the job of maintaining your dental care.
The importance of daily flossing cannot be underestimated. Unlike your mouthwash and toothbrush, floss acts as an interdental cleaner, meaning that floss gets between the gaps in your teeth and under the surface where your gums meet your teeth. These are places where your toothbrush can’t reach and plaque builds up.
Bacteria cause plaque. It starts with a thin film that covers your teeth and is often deposited with the foods you eat, especially foods with a high sugar content. As plaque builds up on your tooth surfaces and under your gums, it hardens and turns into a brownish deposit called tartar. You can easily remove plaques with the daily cleaning program. But once it turns into tartar, the only way to remove it is by hand scraping by your dentist or hygienist.
Removing tartar can be an uncomfortable experience, especially if regular dental care has not been done. Gums may begin to bleed. The process can be painful. If you floss every day and make it part of your regular dental care, it doesn’t have to be.
Before we look at the benefits of flossing daily and all the different types and applications of flossing, let’s look at how dental hygiene (or lack of hygiene) can affect your overall health.
Why Is Flossing Important for Dental Hygiene?
It is said that your mouth is a window into your health. The hard enamel of your teeth and the soft tissues of your gums reveal what’s going on with the rest of your body, namely your overall physical health.
Healthy dental care is a vital and important part of maintaining the balance of body systems. Many clinical studies have linked poor oral care and the two main oral diseases, tooth decay and systemic disease, in which inflammation from gum disease causes bacteria to enter the circulatory system.
The spread of so-called “destructive” inflammation triggered by bacteria causes the liver to release “C-Reactive Proteins” that work to fight the invasion. Inflammation from poor oral hygiene is known to be a leading contributor to heart disease, diabetes, pneumonia, dementia, kidney disease and even erectile dysfunction.
The two main oral diseases are gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis begins at the tooth line as a reddish swelling and bleeding of the gums. It is easily reversible with proper care and a constant hygiene program. Periodontitis is an advanced stage of disease centered on the roots of the teeth and jawbones. Periodontitis is a serious and severe disease that can be fatal if left untreated.
Studies report that people who do not brush and floss their teeth are much more likely to develop gingivitis and periodontitis. This puts them at a greater risk of heart disease and up to 10 times more likely to suffer a fatal heart attack.
Gum disease also significantly increases the chances of developing Type 2 diabetes, and some studies show odds as up to 700 percent higher.
All of these can be avoided and this is the main reason why daily flossing is so important.
How To Use Dental Floss Correctly?
Proper flossing is very simple, but extremely important in flossing. The best instruction is to have your dentist or hygienist demonstrate the proper procedure to reap the best benefits of flossing.
Here is a simple step-by-step guide to flossing properly using floss-type floss:
.Separate 18 to 24 inches of floss from spool
.Wrap the ends around your front or middle fingers
.Leave about 4 inches of strand between your fingers
.Clamp the thread between the two teeth
.Wrap the thread in a “C” cup shape around a tooth
.Run the rope back and forth gently to remove the food
.Now thread the floss slightly under the gumline
.Move the “C” cup-shaped grip up and down on the tooth to clean the plate
.Repeat on adjacent tooth
.Proceed to the next pair of teeth
.It doesn’t matter clockwise or counterclockwise and from top to bottom
.Use a new section of floss as it wears and wears
How Often Should Floss Be Used?
All dental professionals recommend a regular flossing program once a day. It depends on the person’s schedule and routine.
Many people floss right before bed so that bacteria and plaque don’t build up overnight when the mouth is inactive. Others prefer flossing first thing in the morning for a fresh start to the day. Some carry floss with them at all times and use their teeth to floss constantly when needed.
What matters is not how often, but that you do it regularly, at least once a day.
A final word on the benefits of flossing;
No matter what type of floss you use, it won’t widen the spaces between your teeth and will not contribute in any way to tooth decay caused by a flavoring additive. Flossing your teeth regularly has absolutely no harmful side effects.
