Dental Flossing
The easiest and least costly route to good oral health is often the most overlooked. Brushing and flossing require just a few minutes of each day, yet few of us take the time to establish healthy oral hygiene habits. This article answers the questions of how often you should brush and floss, which teeth you should floss and what benefits you will gain by adopting a steady routine for you and your entire family. The article also explains how bacteria naturally breaks down the food you eat and how the bacteria, if not removed, can produce build-up, plaque, tarter and toxins, which could lead to more serious problems. You’ll discover how simple brushing and flossing, together with routine visits to your dentist, can prevent a host of socially embarrassing and often painful and visually unattractive dental ailments. Although most dental insurance coverage and reduced fee for services (RFFS) dental plans provide benefits for routine cleanings twice a year, you’ll derive your greatest benefit from following a daily cleaning regimen. Obtain a dental plan free quote or check with your existing individual, family or group dental plan for other preventive care benefits that can help you maintain a healthy smile.
We often get asked questions such as how often should I use dental floss, is dental flossing necessary, and what teeth should I floss? Our response is the cliche used by dentists the world over. You should only floss the teeth you want to keep ! You see next to brushing, flossing is the most important thing that you can do to ensure good oral health.
Both mechanically remove bacteria build-up from the teeth and gums. Removing bacteria is the primary goal of good oral health. If the bacteria is not removed plaque forms. Over time, this plaque turns into a hard substance called tartar. The levels of more dangerous type of bacteria build up within tartar.
These bacteria produce toxins which irritate and cause inflammation of the gums. This is known as gingivitis. Untreated gingivitis leads to periodontal disease - a condition where bacterial toxins invade not only the gums but also the bones and the structures supporting the teeth. This can lead to bone loss, loose teeth, and teeth that fall out. Periodontal disease often requires more extensive and expensive treatment.
Another reason to rid the mouth of bacteria is the fact that bacteria in the mouth are responsible for bad breath. Bacteria break down food particles left after we eat creating volatile sulfur compounds. These sulfur compounds are responsible for malodorous breath.
By brushing we rid the mouth of bacteria reducing the risk of gingivitis and periodontal disease. We also help ensure that our breath remains fresh smelling.
If we only brush however, we miss the bacteria that reside on tooth surfaces that the toothbrush can not reach. These include the spaces in between teeth. Here bacteria will be allowed to grow uninhibited leading to tartar formation, gingivitis, periodontal disease, and tooth decay. It is also a great place for bacteria to rest while they create foul smelling sulfur compounds.
Flossing is a key component to any good oral hygiene program. The American Dental Association recommends that you floss at least once a day. Brushing without flossing is like washing only 70% of your body. The other 30% remains dirty.
If you haven't flossed in a while, you may see a little red tinge of blood on the floss after you use it. This indicates that your gums are slightly inflamed and vastly in need of flossing to remove bacteria. With a regular regimen of flossing this red tinge should go away. Also, white buildups on the dental floss are indications that plaque has accumulated between your teeth.
At our practice, we recommend Glide dental floss because it slides easily between teeth. However, any floss that you can get between your teeth and which does not fray or break easily is good.
