Many of us don’t floss as often as we should. While brushing our teeth regularly helps cavities prevent tooth decay and gum disease, flossing reaches and cleans areas that our toothbrushes can’t. A toothbrush really only cleans some surfaces of our teeth, floss cleans the areas between our teeth where a toothbrush can’t reach.
In encouraging proper dental care, we at Robert Rosenfeld DDS urge our patients to add flossing to their daily routine. Not only does flossing remove tartar from areas of your mouth that a toothbrush can’t reach, it also decreases your risk of gum disease. Needless to say, flossing is crucial in improving the overall health of our mouths.
Benefits of Flossing
Brushing only removes 50% of the plaque on our teeth. Flossing plays a major role in preventing cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. Though brushing is important and effective in keeping our smiles bright and clean, brushing alone still leaves our teeth and gums susceptible to dental problems.
In addition to brushing every day, flossing is an absolute must in attaining a healthy and thoroughly clean smile. Some people think flossing only removes food and debris from the gaps of our teeth. While this is true, flossing also removes plaque from these gaps. It’s important to floss not only at the end of the day but also when you wake up in the morning, as plaque builds up while we sleep. It’s also recommended that patients floss prior to brushing their teeth, which allows the fluoride in toothpaste to reach more areas of your teeth.
Moreover, the plaque and debris that toothbrushes can’t remove from your teeth can lead to tartar—which can only be removed by your dentist. Tartar often leads to gingivitis, which can then lead to gum disease. Flossing works to remove food and plaque which lowers your risk for tartar buildup.
Let Us Help
The friendly staff at Robert Rosenfeld DDS cares about your teeth. We know how important flossing is and encourage our patients to include it in their daily cleaning routines. Flossing prevents plaque and tartar buildup that can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. In addition to brushing and flossing, professional dental cleanings are essential in keeping teeth clean and problem free. Give us a call today to schedule your next cleaning and browse our website to see our range of dental services.