Benefits of Flossing Daily
Flossing your teeth feels like a hassle some days, especially when you don’t feel anything stuck between your teeth. Therefore, you consider skipping your flossing for a day or two. However, the benefits of flossing daily far outweigh the hassle, especially if you already suffer gum or tooth decay problems.
About Daily Flossing
According to the American Dental Association, daily flossing or the use of an interdental cleaner prevents gum disease and tooth decay. This simple, quick act removes bacteria that form plaque. Specifically, plaque bacteria from plaque acids when they feed on food particles or sugar left on your teeth. These acids degrade your tooth enamel and cause cavities.
Plaque also hardens into rough tartar or calculus. Moreover, this hard material allows even more plaque to build upon your teeth and gives the bacteria a safe place to hide, grow, and spread. Tartar accumulates along your gum line and causes gum disease, too. Therefore, when tartar forms because you don’t properly brush or floss your teeth, only your dentist can remove the plaque.
Preventing plaque buildup is far easier than letting tartar form. In fact, the simple methods of taking good care of your teeth include brushing and flossing each day. These steps also prevent conditions like tooth decay and gum disease. Therefore, why skip flossing, when benefits of flossing daily far outweigh the extra two minutes of not doing so?
When Should I Floss My Teeth?
Sure, doing good things for your health may take a few minutes more than putting oral healthcare off a bit. However, simply brushing and flossing as you should protect your teeth and overall health in many ways. Just commit to doing a thorough job at any time of day when you have a few minutes to yourself. For you, maybe this prime flossing time is in the early morning before work or after dinner and before going to bed.
In addition, children also need to floss between their teeth. This is something you teach your children to do, so practice good oral health habits for yourself as a role model. Furthermore, help your child manage tooth flossing.