Flossing is Not an Option if you want Healthy, Beautiful Teeth
You do many things to benefit your body and overall health: you watch what you eat and try to maintain a healthy diet, you get regular exercise, you limit your consumption of sodas and alcohol, and you even brush your teeth twice a day. Those will help you achieve a healthy life and you are encouraged to keep at it. However, if you want to achieve and maintain a healthy, beautiful smile then you need to understand that flossing is not an option – it is a necessity.
Flossing needs to become a habit for every single person because of how important it is to the health of your mouth and your entire body. While brushing your teeth is important for keeping the surfaces of the teeth clean and your breath fresh, flossing it still considered to be the most important thing you can do in terms of oral hygiene. Toothbrushes are not designed to clean the tight spaces between the teeth; while floss is an “interdental cleaner” specifically designed to remove food particles and plaque that is trapped in between the teeth. Tiny particles of food that become trapped between the teeth grow bacteria and form the sticky plaque that you can feel on your teeth when you run your tongue along them. When plaque is not removed by flossing, it will harden to form tartar. This tartar develops quickly, and will begin breaking down the tooth enamel, causing irreparable damage to the teeth.
Another huge benefit of flossing is that if it is done regularly, it will significantly cut down on the need for scraping of the teeth by your dental hygienist. The only way for tartar to be removed is during a professional cleaning with scraping tools. If you floss, the tartar is almost non-existent; therefore, the need for scraping is extremely limited. Maybe that is the only encouragement you need!
Dr. Wayne G. Suway wants to partner with you to achieve optimal oral hygiene and oral health. Let our practice help you learn the proper techniques of flossing so that you can promote your own health at home.
Posted on behalf of
1820 The Exchange SE, #600
Atlanta, GA 30339
Phone: (770) 953-1752
FAX: (770) 953-6470
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