Since you were a child, you have been told that it is important for you to floss every day in order to keep your smile clean and healthy. Using dental floss isn’t about just getting those uncomfortable pieces of popcorn out of your teeth after watching a movie. There are all sorts of reasons why you need to be flossing every day. Continue reading to learn more from a dentist in San Marcos about why flossing should be a priority.
Remove Plaque
Plaque is that soft, sticky substance that builds up on and between your teeth. In order to remove it, you need to brush and floss. If you don’t this will eventually harden into tartar. This can build up along the gumline and results in both tooth decay and gum disease. While you can’t avoid plaque entirely, you can limit it but brushing and flossing to the point where it never causes you any further issues.
Keeps Your Teeth White
You probably don’t want your pearly whites to be anything other than white. When you have buildups of plaque and tartar between the teeth, they can appear to be more discolored. If you want to use teeth whitening treatments, they work best on teeth that are free of plaque. If you still have some of this substance stuck between your teeth, you won’t be getting the results that you’re looking for after a whitening treatment. When you floss, you can allow the whitening agent to make more contact with different surfaces of your teeth, ultimately allowing you to have a more uniform, brighter smile!
Prevents Gum Disease
If you don’t remove plaque and tartar from the gumline, you could experience some serious oral health issues. This will irritate your gums and can lead to gingivitis. Symptoms of this condition include inflammation, irritation, and bleeding during and after brushing. While gingivitis is reversible, if you leave it to progress, you could develop a later stage of gum disease known as periodontitis. This causes gum recession, loose teeth, tooth loss, and bone loss!
Keeps Your Breath Fresh
Most of us know the feeling of waking up with morning breath. When you don’t remove food debris and plaque from between the teeth and beneath the gumline with dental floss, the bacteria in your mouth will continue to multiply. In addition to things like gum disease and tooth decay, your breath will not be the freshest.
Flossing is great for a number of different things, and it is extremely important. Keep a container of dental floss by your sink so you don’t forget. You will experience the benefits in no time!
About the Author
Dr. J. Robert Donnelly earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and has completed additional studies to attain status as a Master of the Academy of General Dentistry. He also graduated from the Las Vegas Institute of Cosmetic Dentistry. Currently, he is a member of numerous professional dental organizations, including the American Dental Association and Texas Dental Association. To learn more about proper oral hygiene or to schedule an appointment, visit his website or call (512) 396-5225.