We all know that brushing regularly is crucial for the cleanliness and health of our mouth. However it is often overlooked that brushing cleans only 65 percent of the area that needs to be cleaned. When you brush your teeth without flossing, you are ignoring 35% of your teeth and leaving them at risk and unclean. Let’s suppose most people only typically cleaned 65 % of their body on a regular basis. This is just what is going on within your mouth. The solution, of course, is flossing. Dental floss cleans between your teeth and gums, straight into all of the difficult to reach dirty and dark places that your toothbrush just cannot get to.
Most importantly, flossing aids in preventing cavities. Dental floss gets down deep in between teeth and gums to get rid of food remnants that can become lodged there. It also helps eliminate and prevent plaque from building up in those tough to reach places. Left alone, bits of food and plaque build up and provide sheltered spots for enamel damaging bacteria to grow and flourish. Flossing, thus, can be a strong tool against the bacteria that cause tooth decay.
Flossing can also help to avoid unattractive tartar buildup. Tartar is the culprit that leads to that unpleasant yellow and brownish discoloration on tooth enamel. Tartar starts off as plaque. If left in place on your teeth, the plaque will solidify and calcify with time. Tartar forms a strong bond with the tooth enamel and can only be cleared with the help of a dental hygienist. As a result, it is far better to halt tartar build up where it starts by brushing and flossing everyday.
One more reason for flossing on a regular basis is to reduce damage to your gum tissue. Plaque is home to over 300 types of bacteria. In addition to tooth decay, these bacteria could potentially cause irritation and harm to the gums. Typical gum conditions include gingivitis and periodontitis. These problems could cause soreness and bleeding in your gum tissue. They also can cause your gums to recede, letting plaque to attack the lower supporting bone structures of your teeth.
If preventing tooth decay and gum disease are not adequate motivation, flossing can also help to cure halitosis or smelly breath. Nobody wants to talk to someone with bad breath. It is an unpleasant ailment which often can be very easily treated by regular flossing. If left alone, the food remnants and plaque between your teeth can rot and give off bad odors. Flossing gets rid of these food particles and plaque and prevents bad breath.
Flossing often can eliminate all sorts of undesirable dental issues. However do you realize that dental flossing may also help an individual to live longer? Dr. Michael Roizen and Thomas Perls, two notable investigators on aging both claim that flossing can increase your life expectancy. Presently there is data that the same bacteria that is responsible for tooth decay can pass in to the blood stream and cause swelling and inflammation in the arteries. Thus, a regular habit of flossing might also help keep one of the major factors of heart disease at bay. Dr. Perls suggests that a regular habit of flossing can increase life expectancy by 1.5 years. Dr. Michael Roizen, on the other hand, proposes that regular flossing might lengthen a person’s life by as much as 6.4 years.
So know you have the facts. Flossing keeps your mouth healthy and problem free by accessing the 35% of your mouth which you cant get to by teeth brushing alone. Flossing reduces cavities, tartar accumulation, periodontal disease, as well as unpleasant mouth odor. The simple act of flossing every day may additionally add up to six years to your life expectancy. In a nutshell, flossing helps to keep both your gums and also your body’s defense mechanisms healthy, and may also help you live a longer life.
Regular tooth brushing and flossing is important. However that is only part of the equation. You also need a quality dentist. If you are looking for a dentist Flagstaff, Arizona has a lot to offer. After years of bad experiences, I finally found a Flagstaff dentist that I actually enjoy visiting. Having a dentist that treats you like family rather than just a number really makes a difference.