Benefits of Using Dental Floss
Posted on: September 17, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7Add flossing to your daily dental routine and you’ll experience a cleaner, healthier smile. Most people either forget about flossing or put it low on their list of priorities because they are unaware of the importance or unsure how to do it correctly. But flossing helps clean the gaps between your teeth so that you’re less likely to get gum infections or cavities from bacteria build-up. And with improved dental health, you may avoid the large bills that come with expensive dental procedures.
Types of dental floss
The dental care aisle is filled with many types of floss. You can get most of them at your local supermarket or drugstore. Although each kind of dental floss uses some type of thread or ribbon, there are differences in materials and packaging.
Some floss is made out of dental ribbon rather than out of plastic or nylon string. Ribbon floss is smoother and more comfortable than traditional floss. For example, if your gums ache or bleed when you floss your teeth, you might want to try ribbon floss instead.
Automatic flossers are an option if you have a hard time perfecting your flossing technique or find flossing uncomfortable. When you turn the flosser on and touch it against your teeth, it uses a nylon filament to clean the spaces between your teeth for you.
You and your dentist can easily find one that best suits you or your family’s needs.
Benefits of using dental floss
Brushing cleans the surface of your teeth. You need to floss in order to clean out the gaps between your teeth, where bacteria often reside. If you don’t floss, you’re more likely to have plaque build-up, which can lead to cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. If left untreated, gum disease can be a risk factor for heart disease, diabetes, and a high body mass index. In addition, bacteria can cause bad breath and having food or debris between your teeth can make them look less clean or white. Thus, flossing can help improve the appearance of your mouth as well as your dental hygiene and overall health.
How often should you floss?
It’s more important to take your time and floss correctly than it is to floss often. If you floss several times a day, but do it quickly, you’ll miss a lot of the bacteria and debris you need to clean out. This defeats the purpose of flossing. It’s far better to floss only once a day and do it slowly so that you clean your entire mouth.
Of course, it’s still important to floss regularly; if you don’t floss at least once a day, you won’t reap all the benefits.
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