Dental Floss – Simple, Cheap And Effective

Far too few people in the UK use dental floss, but there are good reasons why you should

If you currently floss your teeth everyday, congratulations, you are doing the right thing. You are also, it appears, one of the few who do. It is generally thought that only around one in five of us in the UK use dental floss on a daily basis. This is bad news for our overall oral health and anyone who doesn’t do this is certainly increasing their risk of both tooth decay and gum disease. As we firmly believe in preventative oral care at SG Dental and Implant Centre, we thought that we would use today’s blog to take a look at this cheap and effective way of helping to keep your teeth and gums in good health.

Before we look at the actual benefits of flossing, it is worth addressing the most common excuse that people use for not carrying out this important part of their overall oral health regime, and that is because it is ‘too fiddly’. Certainly it may feel that way the first few times that you try it, but it really isn’t difficult and, with a little practice, it should only take a few minutes out of your day to carry out. There are numerous videos available that can help, and our friendly Burton hygienist will also be happy to demonstrate how to do this correctly during your next appointment with them.

Why use floss at all?

You might think that you brush your teeth really well and therefore flossing is unnecessary. Whilst it is definitely a good thing if you brush your teeth well, the reality is that the bristles of a toothbrush can’t reach into every area, especially between the teeth and the gum line. Although the use of floss might seem a very basic thing to do, it is a highly effective way of helping to ensure that you have a healthy mouth, as we will now see.

Food particles

Food gets trapped between our teeth when we eat. That is even more likely to occur if our teeth are uneven and perhaps pressing against each other or even overlapping. You might be able to remove larger pieces via your saliva or by swilling your mouth with water, but, although this is a good idea, it is highly likely that tiny particles of food will remain. As these break down, they will produce sugars which attract bacteria that will eventually damage the enamel on your teeth. Once this occurs, problems like tooth decay and root canal infections are much more likely. Using floss is an extra ‘weapon’ in the fight against this problem and one that is very effective indeed.

Bacteria

We can’t see bacteria, except under the microscope, but it is present and will build throughout the day. In the same way that flossing will help to remove food particles, it will also help to remove bacteria too. If this is not done, then not only tooth decay, but also gum disease, is likely to occur. This can cause some discomfort and bleeding from the gums, but more importantly, can eventually lead to teeth becoming loose and unstable and even falling out if not treated in time. Seeing the hygienist every six months is also important for this very reason.

Halitosis

One of the more unpleasant effects of gum disease, especially for those around you, is halitosis, or bad breath. This unpleasant smell can be highly offensive and is often the result of gingivitis or periodontitis. Using dental floss will help you to avoid this and will also remove larger pieces of food that might be trapped and starting to rot in your mouth, giving off an offensive smell.

Saving money

Floss is cheap to buy and a very useful weapon in your oral health arsenal. Not only that, but using it on a daily basis can save you a lot of money that you would otherwise probably have to pay for restorative treatment. This list of treatments that might be needed due to a poor oral health regime is long (and potentially costly). These include the likes of fillings, crowns and extractions, in addition to any cosmetic restorations that you might require to enable the tooth to appear as natural as possible following treatment. For the sake of a few pounds, you can help to prevent the need for treatment, simply by adding  flossing to your daily oral care regime.

Naturally, flossing alone isn’t a miracle cure but combined with a healthy diet, good quality brushing and ongoing and regular checks at our handy Burton clinic, it can certainly prove to be very useful indeed. If you are unsure whether you have a check up appointment currently booked with us, please call SG Dental and Implant Centre on 01283 845345 for help. Make sure too, to add tooth floss to your next shopping list; your teeth and gums will thank you for it!