Proper oral hygiene is key in having a healthy, happy smile; however, during a busy day, it can be hard to take all the necessary steps for proper cleaning. One of the most forgotten, or overpassed, hygiene rules is flossing every day. While brushing tends to get most of the attention, the importance of flossing is undeniable, and almost just as important as brushing.
At Reason To Smile under the direction of Dr. Andrew Vernon DMD, we help our clients incorporate into their daily oral hygiene routines. We stress the importance of flossing by pairing it with other oral hygiene tips, explaining the health implications and how it saves money long term.
Importance of Flossing
Every dentist says it’s important, commercials remind you, it sits there with your toothbrush and toothpaste, yet somehow we still tend to forget to floss. Some common reasons individuals forgo flossing include:
- Do not feel food between teeth
- Lack of knowledge about flossing
- No time to floss
- Hurts to floss
- Too difficult, teeth close together
While all of these are valid reasons, the importance of flossing, and benefits from flossing outweigh most reasons not to. Ultimately, flossing helps keep your teeth clean by removing plaque, saving you an unwanted trip to the dentist’s office.
When flossing is painful, this is usually an indication that your gums are infected, making flossing and good oral hygiene even more important. Flossing also takes less time than brushing, and is just as important. Most dentists recommend brushing for approximately 2 minutes, while flossing only takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Pair For Perfection
Flossing alone is not enough to for your daily oral hygiene routine. Flossing, brushing and mouthwash all do very different things for your mouth and gums.
Flossing is used to get in between teeth, pulling out any stuck food and preparing those areas prone to plaque for cleaning by brushing. Then when you brush with a fluoride toothpaste, you are fighting bacteria in those hard to reach places, helping your teeth resist cavities and decalcification.
To top off your oral hygiene routine it is always a good idea to use a mouthwash after brushing and flossing. Mouthwash is not a replacement for these, but by using at the end it not only adds the benefits of teeth whitening depending on the brand, but it also helps clean bacteria off of the tongue and cheeks, keeping your breath smelling light and fresh.
Good For Gums
Additionally, when using brushing, flossing, and mouthwash in conjunction this helps keep healthy gums and fight diseases like gingivitis. Tooth decay, cavities, and bacteria oftentimes do not just stay localized to a tooth, and start to infect, and irritate the gums.
When bacteria starts to form in between teeth, it is not always noticeable until it becomes a problem in other areas such as the gums. Infections in these areas are also more painful, with redness and swelling that can make daily tasks such as talking and eating uncomfortable.
Contact Us Today!
Don’t wait any longer to get the smile of your dreams, contact us today and start working with a team that makes you smile! You can visit our office is Salt Lake City, Utah or call us at (801) 618-3399.
