Should You Floss Everyday?

The short answer is: yes, you should floss every day. The American Dental Association recommends flossing your teeth every day to improve oral health and prevent gum disease, tooth decay, and more. We hear this recommendation often from dental product ads on TV and in magazines. Why, though, do dental experts consider flossing to be so important?

The Building Blocks of Dental Health

Dental health has many factors that make it effective. Every person’s health journey is unique, but two key elements help give most people their best chance at excellent dental health.

Expert Professional Care

Dental experts continuously learn and train to bring the best of modern dentistry to their patients. A dentist helps catch underlying issues such as disease or damage and guides patients toward making the best choices for their dental health. Start with regular dental check-ups and a professional cleaning to get the upper hand on sneaky problems like gingivitis or cavities.

Great Oral Hygiene Habits

Dentists aren’t with you every day. It’s up to you to maintain excellent oral hygiene habits at home and in your day-to-day life. Clean your teeth twice a day using gentle but effective tartar-reducing fluoride toothpaste. If you have sensitive gums, make sure to use a soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid irritation. Use mouth rinses at the end of your dental hygiene routine to ensure your teeth and gums receive the maximum care.

In addition to regular brushing, flossing serves a critical role in promoting dental health. Flossing helps remove food particles and plaque buildup from the tight spaces between teeth. It reaches areas that brushing can’t and takes your dental health to the next level. Flossing the right way at the correct times is an irreplaceable part of excellent dental health.

Reasons to Floss Every Day

So, we know that it’s essential to floss correctly, but how often should we floss? The answer is every day, ideally after every meal. Daily flossing in the morning and night is enough, however, to combat tartar buildup, bad breath, mouth infections, and more.

Cavities

Cavities are forms of decay that permanently destroy portions of tooth enamel and the tooth. One tooth with a cavity can lead to poor breath, tooth loss, gum disease, and worse. Regular flossing removes a sticky film known as plaque from between the teeth, contributing to a clean mouth and reducing a person’s risk of tooth decay.

Gingivitis

Brushing your teeth is essential, but you need to floss every day to stay ahead of problems like gingivitis. Removing plaque, food particles, and other irritations from between teeth and around the gum line can reduce gum irritation and prevent bleeding gums, gingivitis, decay, and more.

Gum Disease

Because dental floss works to reduce the risk of decay, gum inflammation, and gingivitis, it also helps to reduce a person’s risk of full-blown periodontal disease. When plaque builds up beneath the gums, it will eventually harden into tartar. Tartar causes gum pockets, which can lead to irritation and gum disease.

Periodontal or gum disease is a severe condition that can lead to bone loss, mouth infection, tooth loss, heart disease, and other issues. Dentists advise brushing and flossing every day to clean teeth of plaque, tartar, and food buildup.

Different Ways to Floss

Flossing every day doesn’t have to be a chore. Fortunately, there are many different flossing methods that each have unique benefits. Try them all to find which methods are suitable for you.

Proxy Brushes & Floss Picks

Proxy brushes are small, thin-bristled interdental brushes that fit easily in the spaces between teeth. The brush heads are flexible, allowing them to remove interdental plaque and bacteria from even hard-to-reach areas without irritating the gums.

Floss picks are small, multi-tipped picks that typically have a segment of floss on one end and a pick on the other. Use these to floss teeth quickly after meals or while on the go.

Water Flossing

Water flossing is a versatile, effective method of flossing. It uses pressurized water to gently remove plaque and bacteria from around and in between teeth. If your gums bleed easily with other flossing methods, this interdental cleaner may be for you. Use customized settings to use lower, more gentle pressure.

String Floss

String floss and dental tape are two types of traditional floss. String floss is rounder, while tape offers a flatter surface for truly tight spaces. This method of flossing is simple, affordable, and very effective.

Be gentle while using string floss or tape to avoid damaging your gums. Patients with braces may use a floss threader to get around brackets and wires.

Professional Dental Guidance

It’s true that brushing and flossing every day keeps gums healthy, reduces bacteria, and protects your pearly whites. If you brush and floss properly and still have cavities or other dental problems, reach out to a dentist to help keep your teeth clean. Call Dr. Silmans’ Smile Spa today.