You’ve probably noticed the way your dentist asks you if you’re flossing every time you come in. If you have, then you understand how important it is to incorporate it into your dental hygiene.
Sure, flossing is not one of the most comfortable feeling in the world, especially for beginners. There’s something vaguely irritating and a little discomfiting with the feel of floss in between your teeth. This is probably why a lot of people prefer to brush and then promptly forget about flossing after. But the fact remains that it is crucial to the removal of plaque as well as the prevention of cavities.
Your smile is one of your most important, aesthetic, and useful assets. If you want to protect it by keeping it healthy, you should then incorporate flossing into your daily routine. If you want to know further how important flossing is to your dental health, read below.
It takes up the slack
Every tooth in our mouths has five surfaces- a toothbrush can only reach three of them. The other two untouched and uncleaned surfaces are likely stuck to the sides of other teeth. This makes it easier for food to get trapped in between. Now, since we can’t reach in using our toothbrushes to clean these parts, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, which, in turn, creates plaque.
While your toothbrush manages to clean almost everything, there’s still a tiny percentage of leftover food, plaque, and bacteria left. A dental floss takes up the slack. As we know, a piece of floss is a cleaning tool that manages to get into extremely tight spaces. It also gets to remove about 80% of plaque. With it as supporting cleaning equipment, we should be able to manage a clean mouth every day.
It protects your gums
If you refuse to floss, plaque and bacteria can quickly build up. Since they haven’t been removed properly, the build-up will begin to irritate your gum tissue. This will only worsen as the bacteria increases. If left untreated, this will eventually cause Gingivitis. Gingivitis is a periodontal disease that causes red, puffy, and bloody gums. It indicates some sort of infection that is more expensive and more difficult to manage.
Furthermore, since your gums hold your teeth in place, if something happens to them and it starts to deteriorate, you will have to contend with teeth problems as well. The truth is, you will probably lose some of them due to your gum problems.
It helps you avoid cavities
Aside from being overall irritating and harmful to your gums, the bacteria between your teeth will also help destroy your tooth’s enamel, which causes a cavity. Cavities are incredibly inconvenient as well as painful, and you don’t want to have them. If you start flossing, however, you will have started the cavity-prevention wheel.
If you want to remove the unreachable plaque to prevent the build-up of harmful bacteria, you should start regularly flossing. Aside from prevention, it is also a great way to check your mouth for potential cavities, as well as swelling or redness. What’s best is that it will make your teeth look cleaner and brighter by removing the stuff you may have missed in a mirror.
It protects you from other diseases
Gingivitis is just one of the many oral diseases that can enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of your body if left untreated. This leads to heart disease, diabetes, and other respiratory illnesses. The infection wouldn’t just remain in your mouth. It will cause further complications and wreak havoc all over your body, too.
If you don’t want this shortly, you should probably start flossing. Your peace of mind only takes a couple of minutes out of your day. Aside from peace of mind, it also has a huge side benefit for your long-term health.
It encourages a healthier lifestyle
Most people tend to overindulge, especially when stressed. Everyone had probably had an instance or two when they lost control and overate. Flossing, however, puts you off snacking in the middle of the night. Regular flossing helps you practice good oral hygiene. It also allows you to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. If you’re a flossing regular, you know it makes you less tempted to snack. After all, you’ve just cleaned out your mouth thoroughly. The last thing you’ll want to do is do it all over again.
It freshens your breath
You don’t want to drive away your people with a couple of exhales, trust me. A clean, fresh breath also makes you feel ready to greet the world every morning. You’ll feel highly accomplished and prepared to tackle all the roadblocks to your success. You also get to keep being the confident person that you are with it. Furthermore, if you’re a personable kind of human being, you probably don’t want to rid yourself of your friends and acquaintances because of your dragon-like breath. And the truth is, if you don’t floss away the little trapped bits of food in your mouth, these can cause a stinky breath.
In conclusion…
All dentists recommend that you floss once a day, in the evenings. This ensures that you can thoroughly clean your teeth after brushing them to remove the leftover food stuck between your teeth as well as a plaque at the end of the day. Aside from a clean mouth before sleeping, adding it to your routine also promotes a better lifestyle since it prohibits you from snacking in the middle of the night. After all, it would be too much trouble to floss again afterward when you’ve already done it for the day.
Your attractive and healthy smile can last a lifetime if you give it proper care. Healthy oral hygiene habits allow you to keep your teeth, tongue, and gums strong and healthy.