When the dentist asks you how your flossing habits are doing, is it an easy question to answer? It can be hard to answer honestly sometimes, but whether you lie and say you floss every day, or you are honest and tell him you never do it, it doesn’t matter: the dentist can tell as soon as you open your mouth. It is almost surprising how many benefits flossing really has for your oral health. It keeps your gums healthy and helps you to avoid a dental emergency down the road.
Do you ever notice that if you don’t floss regularly, your first time flossing after a long time will cause your gums to bleed? Sometimes the bleeding can even seem excessive. If you floss regularly, this bleeding will subside. What is more, the flossing removes bacteria and plaque that could otherwise be impossible to remove with regular brushing. Without flossing, it’s possible for the bacteria and plaque to develop into gum disease.
Without flossing, bacteria could actually have a chance to enter your bloodstream from your gums. It’s rare, but it’s not unheard of. If you floss regularly, you prevent this risk completely.
It goes without saying that healthy teeth look better than rotting and smelly teeth. Flossing keeps your mouth more than healthy; it keeps it looking good.
Many of the bad-breath-causing bacteria that live in your mouth are hard to reach with conventional brushing. Flossing makes this easier. When you floss, you get rid of these bacteria that may be lodged in the nooks and crannies of your mouth.
One of the biggest bonuses that comes along with regular flossing is that it saves you money. A neglected mouth leads to a dental emergency, and this can lead to the need for restorative dental surgery or cosmetic dental surgery.