What are the Benefits of Dental Flossing?

Having proper health and hygiene is of utmost importance nowadays as having a proper hygienic routine has got many advantages. Moreover, a healthy mind resides in a healthy body and due to this; you must give importance to your physical well-being and health. Taking proper care of your teeth is a vital aspect of your overall good health and well-being. As your mouth is the entry point of food and drinks to your body, the teeth need to be taken care of to prevent certain health complications that are related to both your teeth and other parts of the body. Most of the time it is seen that people believe that brushing twice a day is enough for their teeth.

However, this is a common misconception prevalent across society. There is no doubt that brushing twice daily helps to a great extent but it is not enough. There are other methods to keep your teeth at their best and one of the most popular methods is flossing. Dental flossing must be done in addition to brushing to maintain your oral hygiene at its best. In fact, most dentists recommend that you carry out flossing daily in addition to brushing twice a day. Here in this article, we will discuss the benefits of dental flossing.

Preventative oral care

There are millions of bacteria and germs found in your oral cavity and no matter how hard you try during brushing or look after your teeth, there is always the risk of bacteria or other microorganisms getting trapped in between your teeth. The risk of bacteria and germs getting trapped in between your teeth is even more if you are not having a proper diet and don’t follow proper oral care hygiene habits like brushing and flossing.

However, when it is done properly, flossing helps to remove food debris and bacteria from the areas that are not possible with brushing. This prevents bacteria from building up micro-organic colonies in these areas. In addition to this, regular flossing also helps in preventing these bacteria from turning into plaque. Plaque is a sticky coating of yellowish substance that stains and damages your teeth over time. If you are flossing daily in addition to brushing, then this considerably reduces the chances of plaque buildup.

Prevents gum disease

The buildup of plaque is not only detrimental to your teeth but it also equally affects your gum. When you are negligent in looking after your teeth, you are effectively allowing plaque buildup which can also lead to gum diseases. Gum disease refers to the inflammation and infection of the gums and when plaque slowly eats away and erodes your soft gum tissue, it causes what is commonly known as periodontal disease.

In addition to this, if the periodontal disease is not taken care of immediately, then it advances to what is known as periodontitis. This can result in extreme decay and root canal issues which are costly and also painful. When you are flossing daily, you are doing yourself a favor by preventing serious dental issues that can be caused by the bacteria present in your oral cavity.

Prevents bad breath & tartar buildup

Remains of food caught in between your teeth and in the gum line may contain bacteria that can cause an unpleasant odor. Now, daily flossing can help you in removing the smelly odor from your mouth. Moreover, this will also keep your breath fresh and teeth free from unsightly food particles. In addition to this, flossing also takes care of tartar buildup in your teeth. It doesn’t take long for plaque to accumulate on your teeth. When this plaque is left unremoved, it hardens into tartar. Daily flossing removes plaque in between your teeth and prevents tartar formation.

Effective than brushing

Brushing and flossing work in unison to preserve your dental hygiene. If you only brush your teeth without flossing, then it will not do much to prevent dental diseases. In fact, 35% of your teeth’s surfaces remain uncleaned when you only brush and neglect to floss. The bristles of your toothbrush have their limitations when it comes to removing food particles between your teeth. This is where flossing regularly helps in completely cleaning your teeth.

Finally

The above-discussed benefits of flossing are not known to most people and they tend to neglect this vital aspect of their oral hygiene. Dental diseases are very painful to deal with and it also gives rise to many other diseases. Whenever you see any signs of decay or other dental issues, then consult your dentist immediately.

Dental group of Simi Valley has been making Simi Valley smile since 1963. Our team takes pride in offering the best dental care with the patient comfort in mind. We are family-owned practice and offer a full range of dental services.