The Importance of Flossing for Your Teeth and Oral Health

Let’s take a minute to understand the importance of flossing when it comes to your teeth.

There was a recent report that stated that flossing wasn’t an important part of your daily dental regime. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Unfortunately, as important as oral health is to our overall well-being, we really have a lax stance on participating to our fullest potential. Not only did a survey conducted by the American Dental Association reveal that more adults would rather do something they find awful than floss, but the amount of times they floss is the biggest lie dentists hear on a day-to-day basis. But why? Either we’re too busy or we are too lazy, but flossing has become the one thing we drag our feet about. But flossing is much more important than we think.

Flossing is merely the act of wrapping a piece of string around your teeth, one by one, in order to remove any bacteria and excess material stuck between each tooth. In its conception, floss was made from strands of silk, but nowadays it comes from thin filament cord. There are varying thicknesses and varieties to choose from, depending on preference. Some are waxed, some are electric or water-based. There are also handy tools available on the market that help facilitate you in flossing properly, whether you need help reaching all of your teeth or working your way around complicated dental work, like braces. So no matter your reason for avoiding the floss, it isn’t a good one.

Even the process itself is relatively simple. Cut yourself a piece of floss about 18 inches long. Wrap both sides around your fingers until you have a good two inches separating either side. Pull it taut between your thumb and index finger and guide the floss in between each tooth. With a downward zigzag motion, slide the floss around each tooth in a curved motion. What you’re trying to do is gently scrub down all the space between your teeth that your toothbrush can’t reach.

Beyond that, there aren’t a whole lot of rules. Use a new area of floss for every tooth, don’t snap or flick the floss between your teeth, and always use a new piece each time you floss. No particular order necessary to do it right. Work from top to bottom or vice versa. Floss before you brush your teeth or after. You just want to get the cleanest mouth you possibly can each time you clean those pearly whites so that bacteria can’t attach itself onto your teeth and give you cavities or another kind of gum disease. Preventative measures lead to fewer emergency dental visits, so make sure you keep flossing in your daily dental regime. Brushing, flossing and mouthwash are essential to keeping your mouth healthy.

If you have questions or concerns about flossing, make an appointment today with Dr. Farless at 336-282-2868 or visit our website at www.gsodentist.com.

Dr. Farless also proudly serves Greensboro, Brown Summit, Jamestown, High Point, McLeansville, Summerfield and all surrounding areas.