What
are the Benefits of Flossing?
How many times has your dentist asked if you are flossing regularly, and
you respond yes, even though you know you have only flossed twice in advance of
your dental appointment?
Most people view flossing as an annoying chore. We all are tired at
night and that extra step seems like it takes forever! But the trick is that it
does not matter what time of the day you floss. The key to success is flossing
consistently day after day. Even if you mess up a day here or there, flossing
more days than not is what will keep your mouth healthy.
What Does Flossing Do?
Our body's immune response naturally responds to irritants by sending
fluids to the area to help it heal. Think about getting a splinter in your
finger. We get swelling and soreness, and when we squeeze the splinter out it
bleeds. This is the body's way of healing, and the same is true for the gums.
We might have a swelling, soreness, or bleeding in the gums, especially
after flossing. This is how our body's inflammation response works. Much like
the splinter in your finger, your body is trying to irrigate the food, plaque,
and bacteria in your gums with this inflammation and bleeding. When we
mechanically stimulate our gums by flossing, it triggers this inflammation
response. Many people do not floss because it makes their gums bleed. You may
have heavier bleeding at first, but the more you floss, the less bleeding you
will have.
There are many benefits to flossing, and once you work it into your
routine, the time it takes you to floss goes down, and your mouth and gums will
be healthier, causing them to no longer bleed.
5 Reasons Flossing is Important.
- Flossing does 40% of the work in removing
sticky bacteria or plaque from
your teeth. Every tooth has five surfaces and when we do not
floss, we are immediately missing two of these surfaces. Plaque build-up
can lead to swollen gums, tooth decay, and cavities, or gum disease.
- The rest of your body is healthier when you floss. When
you have good oral health, you are reducing the risk of stroke, diabetes,
rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory disease and heart disease - all are
linked to gum health and periodontitis. Flossing reduces and removes
plaque between the teeth, promoting an overall healthier mouth.
- Prevent gingivitis. Gingivitis is
an early stage of gum disease where gums become swollen and bleed easily.
Healthy gums do not bleed when you brush or floss. If your gums are
bleeding, it is an indication you need to brush and floss more
frequently.
- A low-cost, efficient tool for a healthy
mouth. Flossing is a
low-cost and easy way to prevent tooth decay and promote a healthy mouth.
While some may question how effective flossing is, your dentist will tell
you that it is very beneficial and helps keep gum tissues healthy. Plus,
your dentist can tell right away during a routine cleaning whether you
have been flossing regularly.
- Your smile will look better. Flossing will lead to better
breath, whiter teeth, a more confident smile. Spending just a couple of
extra minutes will increase your overall health
How to Floss Properly?
- Use
12 to 18 inches of your preferred dental floss and wind most of the floss
around each middle finger, leaving an inch or two of floss to work with.
- Holding
the floss tightly between your thumbs and index fingers, gently slide the
floss in between your teeth.
- Hug
the floss against one of the surfaces of one of your teeth creating a
C-shape with the floss.
- Scrape
up and down against the entire tooth surface and make sure to get under
the gums as far as you can go.
- Repeat
this step by hugging the floss against the surface of the other tooth that
you are working between.
- To
remove the floss, use the same motion and bring the floss up and away from
the teeth.
- Move
tooth-to-tooth repeating this process and use a clean section of floss for
each area. Remember to floss the backsides of your molars and even floss
the sides of teeth that do not have neighbouring teeth.
What Does Flossing Do?
Not flossing allows harmful plaque and bacteria to grow in the mouth.
Some bacteria can lead to cavities over time. However, gingivitis or gum
inflammation can develop in the mouth from plaque and bacteria after only a few
days. Gingivitis can develop into periodontal disease over time causing bone
loss to the bone that holds the teeth in place. Brushing only cleans about
two-thirds of the mouth, so flossing is important to clean the other one-third
in those spaces that the toothbrush does not reach.
You can floss anywhere and at any time! You can incorporate flossing into other daily activities such as flossing in the shower, leaving it by the TV, leaving it by your deck or favourite chair. Even flossing right before you brush can help instead of doing it afterward. Really, the possibilities are endless. Again, the success with flossing is doing it day after day, rather than the time of day that you do it.
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