It seems like articles related to flossing are popping up on our social media feeds every week these days.
We're going to keep things very simple. You need to floss. Not only do you need to floss, you need to do it every day (or night).
This article written by Julie Rezk, Assistant Professor of Dentistry at Vanderbilt University, does a great job laying out all the details that come with flossing daily. We're going to highlight a few of the main points below.
PLAQUE REDUCTION
This is pretty simple. When you floss, you are removing unwanted plaque. This plaque makes itself present when you eat food. There are scores of bacteria that can thrive in plaque, which can lead to painful gums and bad breath, to name a couple of issues.
If you don't floss and bacteria is allowed to thrive, it can even lead to disease which means you may lose some (or all) of your teeth. Not ideal! This can lead to widespread health consequences that stretch far beyond your mouth.
YOUR DENTIST (AND HYGIENIST) WILL THANK YOU
And you'll enjoy your visit that much more!
It will be fairly obvious to your dentist or hygienist if you have been flossing. If you stick to a flossing plan and are consistent, you won't have the tenderness or bleeding that comes with a routine cleaning.
Add it to your nightly routine!
DID WE MENTION BACTERIA?
Bacteria loves to nestle it's way between your teeth. It can be hard to reach these spots with a standard toothbrush.
When you floss, you are attacking this problem head on. If left unchecked, this bacteria will continue to thrive between your teeth in those tough-to-reach places. As mentioned earlier, this bacteria can cause a multitude of health problems.
In short, keep on flossing. It's well worth it.
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