You make sure to brush your teeth twice a day, so what’s the harm in skipping the floss now and then? True, taking a day off here and there isn’t likely to harm your smile. However, making a habit of forgoing the floss can have detrimental effects to your mouth and your health. It only takes a minute or two, but is time well spent. If you need more motivation, wait until you read the bad things that can happen when you don’t floss. Here you go!
Not only is it important to floss, but it’s also vital to do it right. That’s why I’m starting off this list with a quick tutorial. After all, there’s no point in doing the job if you can’t do it right. Experts recommend flossing before brushing because it removes all the junk between your teeth, which you can then brush away. That was news to me because I always thought it was better to brush, then floss.
Did you know that you can get cavities between your teeth, not just on the tops of them? When food gets stuck between your teeth, it gradually erodes away your enamel, leaving you with cavities. Brushing gets rid of some of it, but can’t do it all. You must floss between your teeth to pull stubborn stuff out of there and get your teeth completely clean.
Sure, cavities can be filled, but forgoing the floss can also lead to gum disease. That’s not so easy to treat. When you don’t floss, plaque builds up along your gum line and on your teeth. That can lead to gingivitis, which is the first stage of gum disease. Brushing and flossing are the best tools for battling the issue.
Do you have friends and co-workers that would clue you in ff your breath stinks? People are reluctant to let you know when you have bad breath because they don’t want to hurt your feelings. That means you might be harboring stink and don’t even know it. Flossing daily can help cut down on the smell. If that’s not enough reason to break out the floss, I don’t know what is.
With advances in dental science, you pretty much don’t have to go without a tooth if you can pay for a fake. I had to have a bridge placed due to damage to one of my teeth (not because I skip flossing, though!), and it is not cheap. If you let cavities and tooth decay go too long, you might have to have a tooth pulled. Save your teeth – floss every day!
Did you know that poor tooth health can lead to heart disease? Scary, isn’t it? Your mouth can harbor bacteria that can get into your body and cause harm to your internal organs. Your heart is one of them. By flossing adequately, you can keep that junk from getting into your bloodstream.
Research shows that gum disease can exacerbate diabetes. When you have diabetes, your body is less able to fight off infections, including those in your mouth. That means that you can suffer from gum disease to a greater degree because you aren’t as able to battle it. The solution – floss!
Do you floss every day? After hearing and seeing what can happen when you don’t, I now make sure I floss every single night.