The question, “Is flossing necessary?” has gone through everybody’s mind. Unfortunately, a lot of times, the answer we give ourself isn’t exactly the correct one.
Think about this — according to The Global Burden of Disease Study 2016, more than half of the global population had some kind of oral disease.
When it comes to our dental health, it’s not unusual to think of reactive care, instead of preventive. And that’s probably why so many people end up having issues with their teeth.
If that’s been your mindset so far, it’s time to change that.
One way of doing so is by adopting healthy habits, like flossing. Easy enough, isn’t it? Keep reading to find out why you should start doing it today.
Is Flossing Necessary?
The short answer is yes.
But many people seem to be unaware of this. In 2016, only 30% did floss on a daily basis. If you weren’t, and still aren’t, a part of that statistic, keep reading and find out 6 reasons why you should be.
By the end of this article, “dental floss” should be the latest item on your shopping list!
It Eliminates Dental Plaque
Unlike flossing, brushing teeth is a daily habit that most people have. Even if it’s just in the morning and before bed, it’s something that comes naturally to most of us.
And that’s great!
However, there are areas in your mouth that a toothbrush alone cannot reach, particularly the space between each tooth.
By flossing every day, you prevent plaque to accumulate in there. Consequently, you keep your teeth from getting yellow/brown and from suffering from issues like the ones we’re about to describe.
Flossing Prevents Tooth Decay
The first problem flossing can help you prevent is tooth decay or cavities.
According to the World Health Organization, almost 100% of adults in the world suffer from these issues. Is there a better reason to start flossing than that staggering statistic?
Cavities happen due to built-up bacteria, acid, and saliva, also known as plaque. By keeping your teeth and the space in between clean, you reduce the risk of getting dental caries.
It Helps Keep Your Gums Healthy
Besides preventing tooth decay, flossing can help combat gingivitis and gum disease.
Gingivitis is the initial phase of gum disease and it manifests through symptoms like redness, swellness, and irritation of the gums, bad breath and bleeding of the gums when you brush your teeth.
There’s one simple thing that leads to gingivitis and that is poor oral hygiene.
So by flossing and brushing your teeth every single day, you make sure to keep both your teeth and gums clean, with no build-ups of bacteria that can lead to gum disease.
It Reduces Your Risk of Diabetes
Our third reason why you should floss on a daily basis isn’t as obvious as the first three, but it’s just as important.
In 2017, over 30 million people in America had diabetes. So it’s easy to understand why you should do everything you can to stay healthy and away from diabetes.
But how exactly does your teeth health relate to how prone you are to getting diabetes?
Well, the answer is strongly linked to the previous benefit, about gum health. Here’s why — when you don’t keep healthy oral habits and your gums start to decay, there’s a high chance that you’ll get periodontitis.
Periodontitis is the inflammation of the gums and the scariest part about it is how it can disperse throughout your whole body. One of the common ways it impacts your health is by making your body more resistant to insulin and, consequently, increasing your risk of becoming diabetic.
It Helps With Bad Breath
Anyone who struggles with bad breath has tried a thousand and one different solutions and tricks to get rid of this issue. If you do, think about all the tips that you’ve tried. Was flossing one of those?
Your bad breath is probably caused by one of thing: the food particles that remain in between your teeth even after you brush your teeth.
Our tip is that you start flossing today and do it every single day without fail. Within one week, you should start noticing some improvement.
It Can Prevent Heart Disease
Finally, flossing can actually help keep your heart healthy.
How? Once again, it’s all about your gums. When you get gingivitis, there’s a chance that bacteria will get into your blood flow, since you start bleeding so easily from your gums.
Once bacteria are traveling through your blood vessels, the damage that can be severe. From blood clots to a heart attack or a stroke, the array of cardiovascular issues you can prevent makes the two minutes a day you spend flossing 100% worth it.
Make It a Daily Habit
Is flossing necessary? Yes!
At first, flossing might seem like too much work. In fact, you probably won’t even remember to do it a lot of the days.
This is normal. New habits can be hard to adopt.
The secret around this issue is simple: get a reminder for the first couple of weeks. A few ideas for this would be to stick a post-it on your bathroom mirror saying “Don’t forget to floss!” or simply keeping the floss somewhere where you can always see it.
With time, you’ll see that doing it on a daily basis will become natural to you.
If you have any questions about flossing or dental health in general, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll be more than happy to help you keep a healthy, beautiful smile!