Our Surrey dentists are often asked what the big deal is about flossing. Patients wonder why they need to floss if they brush thoroughly twice a day? Here's why flossing should be an important part of your at-home oral hygiene routine.
When it comes to keeping your smile healthy and looking it's best, regular visits to your dentist for checkups and cleanings and a good at-home dental care routine are essential.
At-Home Dental Hygiene
Brushing your teeth for two minutes at least twice a day, and flossing once a day are the key to a good at-home oral hygiene routine.
Our Surrey dentists understand that some of our patients who do a fabulous job brushing their teeth, skip the flossing stage because they think that brushing is sufficient for keeping their teeth and gums healthy.
But flossing performs a function that your toothbrush just can't handle. About 1/3 of each tooth's surface is difficult to reach with a toothbrush. If you skip flossing, those hard to reach places just aren't getting the cleaning that they require to stay healthy.
By flossing you remove plaque and bacteria from those tight spaces between your teeth, and at your gum line where your toothbrush doesn't clean as well.
Plaque
Over the course of the day a sticky film of plaque, builds up on your teeth. That plaque can harden into tartar, lead to cavities, or get under your gum line and cause periodontal disease.
Tartar
If plaque isn't removed from your teeth it quickly hardens and become tartar. In fact, plaque can become tartar in as little as just 36 hours!
Once the plaque has turned into tartar a toothbrush and floss are no longer able to remove it. Tartar needs to be removed by a dental professional during a hygiene cleaning appointment.
By flossing daily you can prevent plaque from building up in the tight spaces between your teeth and hardening into tartar. Less tartar means less scraping the next time you visit your dental office for a cleaning, and less chance of developing cavities, gum disease, or tooth decay.
Flossing everyday is a quick and easy way to keep your smile healthy and to save time the next time you head to your dental hygienist for a cleaning.