Author: Sonja Allman
Why do we floss?
You may have heard your dental professional tell you that you need to floss every day, but why is it so important? Flossing has very little to do with how cavities are formed, instead it helps with your gum and bone health! Every twelve hours bacteria accumulate under the gum line. We floss to break up those bacteria colonies and prevent them from growing larger. When we do not floss our gums become inflamed from the built-up bacteria and this can lead to bone loss.
Why is bone loss a big deal?
Our teeth are held in place by the bone and gums. Over time our body will destroy its bone trying to get rid of the bacteria and our gums will recede because it is covering the bone. If we lose bone and our gums recede then our teeth can become wiggly over time and this could lead to tooth loss. it’s not due to age that people lose their teeth, it’s bone loss! By preventing bone loss we are also preventing ourselves from losing teeth when we get older.
What can you do to prevent bone loss?
The answer is easy, floss every day! If we get some floss between our teeth at least once a day, we are breaking up those bacteria colonies that are forming. This will also lead to healthy gums that bleed less when you floss!
What should I use to floss?
Anything that works best for you! We like to recommend floss picks. The floss picks are more convenient and easier for patients to maneuver around their mouths. We suggested getting a few bags of floss picks and putting them everywhere! If you have a desk at work, put one in there. Put one in your gym bag, put it in your work truck, anywhere that would make it easy for you to remember. You don’t need to wait until the end of the night to floss, people can become very tired and forget. As long as you are getting some floss between your teeth at least once a day you’ll be in great shape!