Hygienist Oksana Revustka before hygiene instruction
Why is Flossing Important?
Have you ever wondered why your dentist asks about routine flossing during your checkups? Or maybe you’ve heard your friends and family talk about flossing as part of their dental routine?
“Flossing” is a commonly discussed practice in the field of dentistry, especially in the context of oral and dental hygiene. The truth is that flossing plays a key role in maintaining your teeth and overall oral health. In this article, we will discuss this most underrated oral hygiene habit and its importance.
What is Flossing?
Flossing is a technique that helps remove all food particles, plaque and bacteria that remain between the small gaps in your teeth. In other words, it is the process of removing and removing food particles, plaque and bacteria from between the teeth. This is done using a thread-like tool called “dental floss”.
Even if you brush your teeth thoroughly and follow a rigorous twice-daily brushing routine, you still can’t completely clean or even reach the spaces between your teeth. In worse cases, all the plaque that gets stuck between your teeth can take a toll on the appearance of your teeth over time.
Consequences of Neglecting Dental Flossing
Neglecting flossing as part of your daily dental routine can contribute to:
Tart
Failure to floss can cause tartar to build up on your teeth, leading to their hardening. Once this happens, you won’t be able to remove it yourself and will need help from a dentist or dental hygienist.
Gum Diseases
The combination of plaque and tartar can cause the gums to become hypersensitive, leading to inflammation and redness. The early stages of gum disease, also known as gingivitis, can be reversed, but later stages lead to periodontitis.
Cavities
Tooth decay resulting from plaque can lead to the formation of holes (also called tooth decay) in the outer layer of teeth, called enamel. If left untreated, they can cause pain, infection and other oral health problems.
Chronic disease
Sometimes you may notice that your gums bleed while brushing. This is a sign of gingivitis and improper flossing. Over time, gingivitis can allow plaque and bacteria to enter the bloodstream, which can lead to plaque buildup in the vessels and potentially heart disease.
People with gum disease are 20% more likely to develop heart disease, which in some cases can lead to chronic conditions such as respiratory disease, diabetes, coronary artery disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Not flossing can lead to excess plaque build-up, which causes bad breath. Over the long term, plaque and food particles can accumulate between teeth, causing them to look pale and discolored, which can only be restored with tooth whitening treatments.
If you plan to incorporate flossing into your oral hygiene routine, practice brushing twice a day and flossing once a day. It’s best to floss first and then brush, not the other way around. Because flossing helps lift and remove food particles and plaque between your teeth. If you brush first and then floss, this residue will remain in your mouth until the next time you brush.
