Every time you go to the dentist, you inevitably get asked about how often you floss. While most people know that you should be flossing on a daily basis, few people do so. You likely lie to your dentist and tell them, sure, you floss almost every day! However, when they take floss to your mouth, the state of your oral health inevitably betrays your lie. You know what’s coming: a chiding comment about how you need to be flossing on a daily basis.

There are a multitude of reasons why many people aren’t flossing on a daily basis. Understanding the myths about flossing on a daily basis and the amazing benefits of daily flossing may help you be more regular about flossing. So, let’s jump on in, and help you get your dentist off your back about it!

Is Flossing On A Daily Basis Truly Necessary?

Guilty of not flossing daily or at all? You’re not alone. Most Americans aren’t. Many people assume that you really don’t need to floss daily, and some question whether or not it’s truly necessary. 

Some of the reasons why people think this include:

• Assuming that brushing is enough.
• Not knowing how to floss properly.
• It hurts.
• Your gums bleed when you floss.
• Thinking you don’t have the time for it.

However, there’s a reason why your dentist is constantly pestering you about flossing: it’s very much a necessary component of maintaining good oral health. Done right, flossing on a daily basis only takes a couple of minutes – and prevents expensive, painful problems.

How Can Flossing Benefit You?

You’re probably well aware of the fact that flossing is important, but may be uncertain about the specific benefits of flossing. Not to worry, we’ve got you covered with a brief overview.

#1. It Gives You A Much Cleaner Mouth

Many people assume that brushing alone is enough to clean your teeth. Some people even think that you only need to brush once a day, to get rid of bad breath. Unfortunately, brushing alone isn’t enough to clean your teeth. 

No matter how diligent you are about brushing, there are places that your toothbrush cannot reach. However, floss can. Floss can get in between your teeth and remove buildup of plaque and tartar, as well as any residual food particles. 

If you aren’t really a flosser, give it a go. You’ll be startled by how much cleaner your mouth both is and looks when you floss.

#2. It Whitens Your Smile

Flossing isn’t a whitening agent, true. However, plaque and tartar give your teeth a yellow appearance. While brushing removes some of it, it doesn’t remove it all. Since flossing can get at the plaque and tartar in between your teeth, it makes your smile look whiter than it would otherwise. 

Even whitening treatments can’t get in between your teeth the way that floss can. So, if you want your smile to be as bright and white as possible, flossing is the extra step you need to take in order to make this happen!

#3. It Prevents Gum Disease

Which can turn into something very serious if not taken care of! Gum disease can result in bleeding gums that hurt when you floss (sound familiar?), inflammation, infection, and if allowed to progress far enough, you could end up losing teeth and needing tissue grafts for the gum tissue lost to gum disease.

This is because plaque is acidic. If you don’t remove it twice daily with brushing and once daily with flossing, it can start to eat away at your gum tissue. Flossing is a simple solution to prevent a potentially very serious problem.

#4. It Prevents Cavities

Just like flossing on a daily basis can prevent gum disease, so too can flossing on a daily basis reduce your risk of developing cavities. This is because the more plaque that there is on your teeth, the higher your risk for tooth decay is. 

Since brushing alone isn’t enough to remove all the plaque from your teeth, not flossing daily can increase your risk of tooth decay. 

#5. It Can Help Your Heart

The health of your mouth affects the overall health of your body, and ergo, can help your heart. This includes a decreased risk of both heart failure and atrial fibrillation, according to a large 2019 study on people who maintained excellent oral hygiene. 

Do You Need Help Learning How To Floss Properly?

If you aren’t flossing properly, this can cause issues, like pain and ineffectiveness. If your gums bleed when you floss, you probably actually need to floss more in order to get them to stop flossing. If you have any questions about flossing, flossing on a daily basis, or you need some help learning proper flossing techniques, Jenson Dental is here to help. Contact us today and let us help you improve your oral health!