Don’t Neglect Flossing Your Teeth

There are many things we all must do despite not wanting to do them. In order to lose weight, you need to give up that sugary sweet tea or soft drink that you enjoy and force your body to move more. If you want to sleep better at night, you need to stop work earlier, put your device down at 7 p.m., and go to sleep at a reasonable hour. Now, these examples are not ones that are easy for most people by any means – they are simply what is required to achieve desired results.

Another example of something that many people avoid is the habit of flossing. The most common reason people neglect flossing their teeth is because they do not understand how important this habit is. Here’s the truth: flossing your teeth is more important than brushing your teeth. You read that correctly! Of course, that does not mean that you should stop brushing your teeth; however, it does mean that you need to understand what floss does for you and what not flossing can lead to.

Dental floss is the only tool that you can use at home to remove plaque from your teeth. With its flat, thin design, it can get underneath plaque and scrape it away from your teeth. Dental plaque is laden with acid-producing bacteria that cause nothing but damage to your teeth and gums. Acids are notorious for eating their way through anything that crosses their path. When oral acids eat their way through your tooth enamel and create holes in your teeth, they are known as cavities. Left untreated, cavities can cause tooth decay and unbearable pain. When dental plaque builds up at your gum line, gum disease begins to develop. If gum disease is left untreated, it will cause irreversible damage including tooth loss and bone deterioration.

While flossing your teeth may never be on your list of “favorite things to do,” it is most certainly one of the most important things that you can do for your oral health. Flossing is also beneficial to your entire body. The same blood supply that runs to your heart, brain, and other organs in your body runs to your mouth. A bacterial infection within your mouth can easily enter into your gums, enter from there into the blood supply, and then wreak havoc on your health. Tooth decay and gum disease have been directly linked to heart disease, diabetes, kidney failure, and pregnancy loss. So, choose wisely when you think about not flossing.

At Sycamore Hills Dentistry, we want to help you learn the importance of at-home dental care. Your smile is important to us. Call today for an appointment.

Posted on Behalf of Sycamore Hills Dentistry