You know the feeling….four, five, six, seventeen days go by, and we remember…Oh man, I really need to floss…

Flossing is one of those things we all know we should do regularly, but unless we really understand why, it’s hard to stick to doing it every. single. day.  The bottom line is that food gets stuck between our teeth and bacteria builds up, leading to plaque. Many people don’t really believe food gets stuck between teeth (ok, yuck..it just does) so it becomes easy to skip this step of dental hygiene. But if we neglect to floss, after a while the plaque begins to build up and harden. There is no way around that. That hardening plaque results in tartar, which can lead to gingivitis (a gum disease), and sometimes more serious dental issues.

Toothbrushes are wonderful, and great at getting most food and debris off the surface of the tooth, but cannot get in-between teeth and under gums. This is why flossing is so critical to overall dental health.

There are many different types of floss on the market, and they are all good! Whether waxed or un-waxed, plain, mint, or cinnamon, the important thing is that we use it and use it daily! Keeping in-between the teeth clean and free of food particles and plaque will decrease chances of getting cavities, gum disease, periodontal disease, and even bad breath.

It’s a good idea to floss each day before you brush your teeth. With less plaque between the teeth there is more place for the fluoride in the toothpaste to swoosh around and do its job.

Sometimes when we first start to floss, it can make the gums a little sore afterwards. This is perfectly normal, and usually lasts just a day or two. Once our gums become accustomed to it, there is no more soreness or discomfort at all. Well worth clean and healthy teeth and gums! Floss on!!