5 Reasons Flossing Is Crucial to Your Oral Health
Posted on October 21, 2019
Our doctors care deeply about their San Francisco patients. They care so much that they spend a significant amount of time talking to patients about preventative measures they can take to avoid dental issues. One of the most important preventative tips our doctors stresse to their patients is the importance of flossing.
While we all know that we should floss our teeth at least once a day, let’s be honest, sometimes it’s a chore that just doesn’t get done. But flossing daily is actually crucial to maintaining your oral health. Here are 5 reasons you need to floss today, and every day!
- Flossing Daily Prevents Plaque Build Up and the Development of Tartar
You know when you’re at the dentist, and the dental hygienist brings out that tool, the one he or she uses to scrape your teeth clean? And while he or she’s doing so, you’re convinced he or she’s going to scrape so hard your tooth is going to come flying out of your mouth?
San Francisco patients may be able to avoid this procedure, or significantly limit it, altogether by flossing every day. You see, plaque builds up on our teeth daily, and if not flossed for only 2-3 days it turns into tartar – which is that hard stuff the dental hygienist scrapes off.
If you floss at least once a day, you can remove plaque before it turns into tartar, which means you can significantly decrease – or even altogether eliminate – the need for our dental hygienist to scrape your teeth clean.
- Keep Gingivitis Away by Flossing Every Day
Every San Francisco dental patient knows he or she doesn’t want gingivitis – just look at a mouthwash ad and you’ll know it’s a condition to avoid. But according to dentists like Dr. Skoulas, actually one of the most effective ways to prevent gingivitis, which is the beginning of gum disease, is to floss your teeth daily.
Flossing helps keep your gums healthy by removing harmful bacteria from them and keeping the space between your teeth and gums clean. And stopping gingivitis dead in its tracks helps it from developing into more advanced stages of gum disease, which could even require surgical procedures by a periodontist.
- Flossing Keeps Your Gums Healthy by Preventing Periodontitis
If Embarcadero patients know they don’t want gingivitis, then they definitely don’t want it to be left untreated and turn into periodontitis. But that’s actually a top danger of not flossing daily.
Periodontitis is the last and final stage of gum disease, which could include symptoms such as receding gum lines, loose or shifting teeth, deep pockets of puss in between your teeth, and even teeth that fall out or need to be surgically removed. Who wants that?!
Even worse, when you have periodontitis, not only do you need an advanced teeth cleaning called scaling and root planing, but you might actually need surgeries like a gum graft to cover exposed tooth roots or tooth extractions for teeth that are beyond saving! Have we convinced you to floss yet?
- Floss Reaches Those Tight Places Toothbrushes Can’t
Even the best, electronic toothbrush endorsed by the nation’s top dentists can reach those tight spaces in between San Francisco patients’ teeth. The toothbrush bristles are just too thick! But floss is the exact solution you need to do the trick.
By flossing those hard-to-reach places, you’re able to clean your teeth of bacteria from the exact places where it loves to hide and fester and prevent yourself from developing tartar or gum disease. And with it only taking a few minutes to floss your teeth daily, why wouldn’t you take this preventative measure to keep your mouth healthy?
- Flossing and Maintaining Excellent Oral Health Can Prevent Other Medical Conditions
Many San Francisco patients just don’t realize the connection between good oral health and the prevention of gum disease, and how it relates to preventing serious medical issues. The facts are that gum disease has been proven to increase your risks for the following medical conditions:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Strokes
- Lung Conditions
If most people realized that flossing really could help prevent these conditions, flossing daily would be a no-brainer. Well, now you know, so there’s no excuse to protect your oral (and medical health) by flossing every day.
Call Us for Your Next Dental Appointment and to Learn Other Preventative Tips
If you work in the San Francisco area, you don’t have time to trek all of SF for a dentist appointment. You need someone who’s right by you so that you can pop in and out on your lunch break or a quick time away from your desk.
The next time you need to visit the dentist, call us at (415) 757-0110.