Why You Need to Floss Your Teeth Daily and How to Do it Correctly

Many people forget to floss and some just don't do it at all. If you are one of those people, you may want to get into the habit of flossing at least once a day. The same bacteria, known as plaque, which is made of 100% germs that gets on your teeth and causes bad breath is also in between your teeth and under your gum line. These are areas your toothbrush can only get so far with. Flossing does not take much time, and picking up the habit will save you a lot of problems when you are older. It only takes a couple of minutes and can prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease, also known as gum disease.

After you turn twenty-five, the main reason people lose is their teeth is due to this disease. It is a known fact that brushing your teeth and flossing can prevent this from happening. Even if you have never flossed before or feel it is too late, it is not! You can prevent future damage. Once periodontal disease starts, it's hard to stop, so pick up some floss and start making it a habit to floss at least once a day. You will avoid the need for dentures too!

When you floss, you need to make sure you do it correctly. Many people floss side to side, but a more efficient way to go about doing it is to go up and down in between your teeth. This allows you to get into your sulcus, the area of your gum that your teeth are burrowed in. If you are flossing correctly, you will notice the floss should actually go underneath the sulcus. This means you are reaching the plaque that a toothbrush obviously cannot get to. If you do not do this, you are only allowing that plaque to build up on a daily basis, allowing it to eventually rot your teeth and gums away.

In my experience, I have discovered that waxed floss is much more effective than unwaxed floss. Unwaxed floss still works and does the job, but tends to shred to pieces or get caught in your teeth, especially the back teeth that are tighter and closer together. You end up flossing floss out of your teeth. Waxed floss slides smoothly in between and under the gums of all your teeth, even the hard to reach and tight spaces in the back of your mouth.

Everyone needs to floss. Some sources argue that mouthwash is just as effective at removing plaque in between your teeth and under your gums, but according to the American Dental Association (ADA), you need to "Clean between teeth daily with floss or an interdental cleaner. Decay-causing bacteria still linger between teeth where toothbrush bristles can't reach. This helps remove plaque and food particles from between the teeth and under the gum line."

It is not healthy to just floss once in a while or every other day. Many people who are young or have never experienced teeth or gum problems treat flossing in a very haphazard way, as if it is simply a burden and will not make much of a difference in their dental hygiene anyway. This is not true. Everyone needs to floss! People who haven't flossed ended up with gum disease, tooth decay, and dentures as they aged. Floss is cheap and it does not take up much of your time at all, so there is no excuse. You have the power and control to prevent future dental problems. Take advantage of that opportunity now before it is too late.