The 5 Biggest Reasons We Always Bug You About Flossing
Every time a patient comes in, we ask them, “Are you flossing?”
Far too many folks sheepishly reply, “No,” or “Sometimes,” or “Yes!” although their gums tell a different story!
At Peak Dental, we want the very best for your oral health, and that means creating healthy oral habits. One of the most important habits you can make to your routine is flossing, even though it’s often overlooked. The good news is, flossing should only add about two minutes to your oral health routine.
If you’re like us, you probably spend longer than that re-watching animal videos on Instagram. ;)
So, next time you’re watching those videos, grab your floss and take care of your teeth while you enjoy that cat sneak-attacking a dog.
The benefits of flossing
According to Stats Canada, just over one-third of Canadians floss their teeth. It’s our mission to get Lethbridge higher than the national average because we know that flossing is so important for keeping your teeth, and your whole body, healthy.
To help convince you that flossing is worth those two extra minutes each day (when you can still be watching videos on Instagram, your favourite tv show, or even reading blogs or news), we’re going to share with you the top five benefits of flossing.
1. Stops your gums from bleeding
One of the main reasons our patients give for not flossing is that it makes their gums bleed. As counter intuitive as it seems, that’s actually a reason to keep on flossing. When your gums bleed because of flossing, it’s caused by inflammation. That inflammation is your body’s defence mechanism against the foreign object and plaque lodged between your teeth. Once you create a flossing habit, your gums will get used to the flossing motion, and the constant ridding of plaque, becoming less inflamed and irritated over time.
2. Flossing is nearly half the process of keeping your teeth clean
Brushing your teeth is incredibly important, but your toothbrush can only clean about 60% of your teeth. The other half remains largely untouched by your brush. That’s 40% of your teeth that’s being ineffectively cleaned, and even if you do brush twice a day for the recommended two minutes. Flossing takes care of the rest of that 40%, so you get achieve a cleaner mouth.
3. Prevents serious cavities
No one enjoys getting a cavity filled – that’s why we regularly brush our teeth. However, brushing only gets rid of plaque in easy-to-reach places, and these are located in areas of the teeth that are easy to fill and relatively painless if they do develop a cavity. But, when you get a cavity between your teeth, filling it is much more difficult, and also much more uncomfortable. Those difficult cavities are exactly what flossing helps to prevent.
4. Helps prevent tooth loss
Flossing is incredibly effective at cleaning the area between your teeth and your gums – right where food tends to get stuck. When food particles or plaque is left along the gum line, it can cause gum disease such as gingivitis. And while unhealthy teeth will most likely need fillings or even root canals, unhealthy gums tend to let go of teeth, leaving gaps in your beautiful white smile that will require implants or bridges to fill.
5. Holistic health benefits
Your mouth is the entrance for the three most important things in life: air, food and water. When your mouth has bacteria hiding in corners, all that life-giving sustenance takes that bacteria with it into your gut and lungs. Current research is drawing parallels between diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, stroke, respiratory and heart disease with an unhealthy mouth. So, by ensuring you’re doing everything you can to keep your oral health in peak condition, you’re also helping to ensure healthier well-being overall.
Take a two-minute time-out to floss
Chances are, you’ve heard of at least some of these benefits already, so now, it’s just a matter of turning flossing into a habit. Floss while you’re watching the news, or while you’re reading your favourite comic. Whenever you decide to implement this habit, you can be confident you’re investing into greater oral health. And that’s something to smile about!