So, you just had a visit with your dental professional for some routine cleaning. You went through the usual process and got the spiel at the end on the importance of brushing and flossing.
Your dental health is crucial, and the basics are there to serve your quest for your ideal smile. Flossing should be a part of your daily routine and is vital to maintaining your dental health.
How important is flossing? And how often should you floss for the best results? Let’s walk through how simple dental hygiene can be!
The Importance of Flossing
You’ve heard it all before, and it’s still true! Flossing is crucial to your dental health, and the combination of brushing and flossing is the key to dental glory. Flossing removes plaque and bacteria that you miss while brushing; it’s a partnership, and you need both to succeed.
Building a daily habit of flossing is crucial. Plaque is the leading cause of gum disease, and with daily flossing, plaque doesn’t have the chance of building up.
Along with removing plaque, flossing can reduce any bad breath issues you may be having. Nobody wants to be that person with bad breath and flossing can tackle any food stuck in between your teeth causing those unpleasant exhalations.
Some other things a daily floss schedule can help with include:
- Preventing gingivitis
- Preventing the risk of cavities
- Preventing gum disease
With plaque can come tooth decay, and with tooth decay comes the dreaded cavities. Preventing any future issues with tooth decay, and as a result, cavities are another positive of the flossing and brushing combination.
Some Flossing Problems & Solutions
When you first begin to floss with purpose, your gums may bleed as they aren’t used to the force you apply when flossing. If your gums continue to bleed, it’s best to consult your dental professional.
You may find traditional floss isn’t for you but fear not—there are other types of floss, including:
- Water flossers, which use high-speed water jet streams to clean the hard-to-reach spots between your teeth.
- Air flossers, which use the same method but with jet-powered air streams.
- Interdental brushes, use tiny bristles to clean between your teeth ad solve the issue of shredding traditional floss on jagged or uneven teeth.
If you haven’t realized by now, flossing is essential. But how often should you floss? Let’s find out.
How Often Should You Floss?
You know the importance of flossing, but how often should you floss? Daily is the short answer, but flossing requires concentration and method.
If you’re unsure whether or not you’re flossing correctly, ask your dental professional for a demonstration on your next visit to clear up any questions. Proper technique will benefit your oral health, and patience is key to getting that post-floss refreshing feeling.
Flossing should be a daily occurrence when brushing your teeth, and you should aim to brush twice a day and floss every night. Flossing will prevent dental issues that can turn into something worse and cause trouble for you down the line.
How to Floss Your Teeth
Flossing your teeth is crucial; we’ve been over that, but many people struggle with how exactly to floss your teeth. Nothing will help you more than visiting your dental professional and asking for a demonstration.
Suppose you want to take matters into your own fingers. Well, these are some steps you can take to maximize your daily flossing adventure.
- Take a generous length of floss equal to the distance from your hand to your shoulder.
- Wrap it around your index and middle fingers, leaving around 2 inches between your hands.
- Slide the floss between your teeth, and be sure to floss every side of the tooth.
- Make sure to brush your teeth after you floss, as it effectively prevents gum disease by brushing away all the build-up that you just loosened up.
Maintaining proper technique with flossing is key in prevention—a daily floss schedule is something you build up over time.
A Floss a Day
Daily flossing is one of the best things to combat gum disease, cleaning out any excess food or build-up between your teeth before brushing. The partnership of brushing and flossing can do wonders to prevent gum disease, plaque, and cavity issues.
If you’re unsure of proper flossing technique, book an appointment with your dental professional and get a demonstration along with the importance of daily dental maintenance.
