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Posted on 9/20/2019 by Dr. Leary |
 Many people look at flossing as something to try and do each time you brush your teeth, but as long as you brush your teeth every day you're good to go right? Wrong, daily flossing not only works to keep your teeth healthy, but by practicing good oral hygiene, it contributes to your overall health in other ways. Your toothbrush does a good job of cleaning the big stuff on your teeth, but floss removes that hard to reach plaque that can turn into oral diseases. Think of your teeth like a kitchen floor that's tiled. You can use a vacuum to pick up most of the dirt and particles when you bring in the mop, that's when you thoroughly clean the floor. Different Ways to FlossThere are many ways to floss. You have your general string type of floss that comes in a variety of material from wax to unwaxed, nylon, and even rubber. There is also one of the more popular types of floss, the pick floss. It looks like the letter Y with a piece of string between the forks, this enables you to floss with one hand and reach those deep areas in the back of your mouth. There was a study published in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry that compared Waterpik floss to regular string floss. The Waterpik proved a 74% reduction of plaque whereas the string floss was at 57%. Why Should You Floss Daily?The main reason to remember about flossing daily is sure, it saves teeth and smiles, but it also protects major organs. It's possible to live a happy, healthy life missing some teeth. The problem with not flossing your teeth is your mouth isn't the only place that can be damaged. When you don't floss bacteria builds in places your toothbrush can't remove. The mouth has hundreds of bacteria's, many are linked to tooth decay and gum disease. Researchers have learned that gum disease is linked to pneumonia, heart disease, strokes, and cardiovascular disease. The bacteria you leave in your mouth sneaks into the bloodstream and creeps into your lungs and arteries as plaque. Finding floss you prefer is a great step in practicing good oral health. It is recommended that you flossed just once per day, followed by brushing your teeth for two minutes in the morning and two minutes in the evening. Flossing before you brush, you remove the plaque that has been building up during the day. It is softer if removed before it hardens. If you haven't been flossing regularly, give our office a call for a check-up and a deep cleaning. We can remove any built-up plaque and get you as clean of a slate as possible. |
