You may have heard some conflicting information when it comes to the importance of flossing. While some people say that flossing isn’t a necessary step in their oral care, experts in the dental industry maintain that flossing is an essential step in adequate oral health.
Floss is made with a thin, often wax-coated strip to remove plaque, tartar, and food buildup between the teeth, which may be particularly important if you have crowded teeth.
Flossing Removes Plaque
Plaque build-up happens when the bacteria in your mouth come in contact with sugary or starchy foods and drinks. Plaque causes a release of acids onto your teeth to break down the build-up. Over time, without proper oral care, the acid can lead to tooth decay and eventually cavities.
Flossing helps remove the plaque buildup that happens in between your teeth. Brushing alone isn’t able to get in between your teeth as well as flossing can. Flossing at least once a day, usually before bed, gets rid of the plaque and food particles that build up throughout the day.
Flossing Prevents Gum Disease
Gum disease is a serious concern for all people. When you have gum disease, you can be at higher risk for developing gingivitis. Gingivitis can lead to bleeding gums, gum inflammation, gum recession, and eventually, loss of teeth if not properly treated. Untreated gum disease may even affect the bones that support your teeth and gum tissue.
Flossing removes the plaque buildup between your teeth and around your gum line. By removing plaque, you’re also removing bacteria that can potentially cause tooth decay and inflammation in the gums which can lead to more serious gum concerns.
Flossing Reduces Bad Breath
Flossing is also important to reduce bad breath. Bad breath is usually caused when food becomes stuck between your teeth, which leads to a buildup of bacteria. Over time, this can cause other serious dental health concerns.
Generally, if you suffer from halitosis or continual bad breath, this is because the bacteria in your mouth have escalated to causing potentially irreparable tooth decay.
Flossing Helps Your Heart Health
You now know the benefits flossing provides to your teeth. But, did you know that flossing also contributes to a healthy heart? According to the American Heart Association, there is a link between good oral care and heart health.
A study conducted by the American Heart Association found that those that brush less than two times a day for less than two minutes had an increased risk of heart issues.
How Often Should You Floss?
Most dentists recommend using floss at least once a day. Flossing after meals or in both the morning and evening will significantly reduce plaque build-up and increase your oral health.
However, if you can make a habit of flossing at least once per day, you will be one step ahead of many people. According to a survey conducted in 2020, 58% of people don’t floss and only 47% of people floss weekly.
What If Your Gums Bleed?
Many people may experience gum bleeding when they first start using floss. This is expected since your gums are unused to the friction caused by floss. Gum irritation caused by flossing will typically fade as your gums become used to the flossing technique.
However, if you experience severe bleeding after using floss, this could be a sign that you are battling the early stages of gingivitis. Severely bleeding gums should be addressed by a dentist as soon as possible.
Are There Alternatives to Using Regular Floss?
Although using regular floss is generally recommended by dentists, you have other options. Ultimately, the type of floss you use will depend on your preferences, your oral health, your dentist recommendations, and your gum health.
Floss Picks
Floss picks are one-time-use floss devices that hold a single string of floss. Floss picks are commonly used when people are away from home or traveling.
Although floss picks can be used instead of regular floss, these on-the-go tools may not be a perfect replacement for using regular floss. This is because floss picks don’t have the same flexibility as using regular floss.
With regular floss, you can wrap the floss around the tooth to remove plaque from the curved edges as well as in between the teeth, whereas a floss pick can only remove plaque from between the teeth.
Water Flossers
Water flossers are also an alternative to traditional floss. Water flosses use the power of pressurized water to remove plaque and food particles from the gums and between the teeth.
Water flossers must be used at home because these devices are rather large. Some water flossers have multiple settings that can be adjusted to fit the ideal sensitivity of your teeth and gums.
Some dentists agree that water flossers can replace traditional floss. However, whether a water flosser can replace ordinary floss will depend on your stage of gum health and other elements of your oral hygiene.
Water flossers are ideal because they can remove plaque buildup on the surface of teeth as well as between the teeth when you’re using the right amount of water pressure. That said, some dentists still recommend using regular floss occasionally to complement your water flosser.
Benefits of Water Flossers
Water flossers may be highly beneficial for some patients. Some people may view a water flosser as more hygienic since plaque removed with a water flosser will be completely removed from the mouth, whereas plaque on regular floss may be transferred from tooth to tooth if you’re not using a good floss technique.
Easier for Some People to Use
A water flosser may be easier for some people to use, such as those who have arthritis and cannot turn their wrists in the right position to adequately remove plaque and food particles from the teeth. Because water flossers also use pressure as water to remove plaque, they may be an ideal alternative if you want to prevent cavity build-up on the surface of teeth.
Better for Sensitive Gums
Water flossers may be ideal for those who have sensitive gums or who are in the early stages of gingivitis. This is because the pressurized water used for these devices can be reduced to a gentle setting that will allow for plaque removal without causing further irritation to the gums.
Ideal for Braces
Finally, water flossers may be ideal for people who have braces or other orthodontic devices. Braces can make it difficult to use regular floss and it may be hard for people who have braces to remove plaque buildup around the metal brackets. A water flosser, on the other hand, can easily blast away plaque from the braces and between the teeth.
When it comes to your oral care, flossing is an important step to ensure the health of our teeth. Skipping this step may lead to cavities, bad breath or gum disease, like gingivitis or periodontitis. Flossing contributes to, not only our oral health, but to your overall health.
Are You In Need Of A Thorough Dental Cleaning Or Dental Examination In The Martinsburg Area?
If you’re in need of a detailed dental cleaning or dental examination please feel free to contact us online or call our Martinsburg, West Virginia dental office directly at 304.267.6059 to schedule your appointment. We provide a wide range of general dentistry care as well as more involved dentistry services for patients throughout the Martinsburg area and look forward to you joining the Cornerstone Dental family.
