As part of a healthy dental hygiene routine, you should floss your teeth every day. See why… From the moment your first baby teeth touch one another, you should start flossing between your teeth. However, even though such habits start so early, only 30% of Americans floss every day. A larger number of people—a shocking 32%—don’t floss their teeth at all. Prevents Plaque Buildup Dental plaque and oral bacteria don’t solely collect on the flat planes of your teeth’s surfaces.They also build-up in the areas between your teeth. Keeps Your Smile Gingivitis-Free Gingivitis is one of the most common dental health problems in the country, with 47.2% of Americans over 30 suffering from some form of gum disease. This number goes up to 70% by age 65. Flossing your teeth once a day is a vital part of preventing gingivitis and gum disease. By removing plaque, food, and debris trapped under your gums, it keeps these teeth healthy and disease free. It doesn’t take long for gum disease to form. Gingivitis can start developing as quickly as three days to a week without flossing your teeth. What is the tell-tale sign of periodontal disease? The earliest warning sign of developing gum disease is red, swollen, and bleeding gums. The soft tissues may also be tender or painful to the touch. Then, once the gingivitis stage passes and advanced gum disease appears, the symptoms are much more serious and sinister: Receding gums Pain when biting down Persistent bad breath Unpleasant taste in your mouth New gaps appearing between teeth Loose and shifting teeth Partial dentures no longer fitting will Eventual tooth loss

Fights Bad Breath One of the biggest causes of bad breath is dental plaque, bacteria, and food stuck between your teeth. Flossing will help remove these and keep your breath odor free. Brightens Your Smile While most people think of coffee, red wine, chocolate, and tobacco products as being notorious teeth stainers, plaque and food particles can make your smile yellower, too. Along with brushing your teeth, flossing is the most affordable teeth whitening method available. It’s not as strong as professional sessions with a dentist or even over-the-counter whitening strips, but floss can help remove the slimy plaque dulling your smile. Saves You Money In The Long Run Developing healthy flossing habits is a worthwhile investment in your long-term dental health. As your excellent oral hygiene stops tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease in their tracks, it also prevents the need for procedures. Over years and decades, those missed treatments can add up and save you a lot of money. Not a bad outcome for only 2 to 3 minutes of your time a day. Stay Healthier Overall Can dental problems cause health issues? Yes, they can. When gum disease becomes severe enough, it doesn’t just put your tooth’s life at stake. Even after receding gums and bone loss causes it to fall out, the infection and inflammation don’t disappear on their own. Instead, oral bacteria can spread into the surrounding bone and soft tissues and even enter the bloodstream to affect the rest of the body. Long-term dental health problems and severe periodontal disease put you at risk for several diseases and other general health issues: Endocarditis Heart disease and stroke Pneumonia and other respiratory infections Alzheimer’s disease and dementia Rheumatoid arthritis Complications during pregnancy

How To Floss Your Teeth Properly This might seem silly to some patients, but there is actually a right and wrong way to use dental floss. Floss after brushing your teeth. Floss in C motions. It’s not enough to floss up and down once before moving on to the next tooth. This takes care of plaque and food between teeth, but you also want to reach anything trapped on the roots below the gums. Using C motions on either side of your gums ensures your floss can reach those deep pockets. Don’t reuse the same section of dental floss. Each time you floss your teeth, you should grab about 12 to 18 inches of dental floss. This should be enough to keep you from flossing different teeth with the same section of floss. Flossing With Braces Patients with braces often have a more challenging time flossing their teeth since their treatment’s wires get in the way. You will need to thread your floss under the wires to reach between your teeth, so you should use a mirror to ensure it goes where you need it. From there, you can floss like you normally do before moving on to the next tooth. Just be gentle and careful when removing the dental floss to avoid bending or damaging the wires on accident. This will take more time than usual, but you want to be patient and not rush the process to ensure you maintain healthy teeth and a happy smile. If you have difficulty navigating the floss under your braces’ wires, there are specially designed floss threaders that look like flexible, plastic needles. Once you thread the floss through the needle, you can pass it much more easily under the wires. You can also use a string floss alternative like a Waterpik. This water flosser uses a high pressure stream of water to remove plaque and debris between your teeth and at the gum line. You don’t need to maneuver around your braces’ wires with this method. When To See A Dentist If you fall behind in your flossing routine, you may start noticing early warning signs of dental problems on the horizon. First-stage tooth decay and gingivitis are early enough that they don’t need professional treatment, but later phases can be worrying dental emergencies.