Why Flossing Your Teeth is Important

A lot of people don't floss their teeth. I've never understood why. Dental floss is really cheap and one little box of it lasts forever. Dental floss also reaches the areas of your mouth and teeth that a toothbrush can't. In fact, flossing is really important for your teeth and also for your general health. Flossing your teeth can be the difference between great health and not-so-great health, and here is why.

First of all, you should always floss your teeth at least once a day. More if you can. Flossing your teeth is like scrubbing between your toes. If you don't do it, the stuff you can see might look clean but those little hiding places aren't. With teeth, because of all the food we eat, if you don't floss, tiny particles of dead food get stuck between your teeth. Once they're stuck, they almost immediately start to rot. Rotting food is smelly food. On top of that, the rotting food produces bacteria. The bacteria produce acid and the acid eats away at the enamel on your teeth. The bacteria also produces plaque. And, if that's not enough, bad breath or halitosis will soon follow. Then gum disease. Then your teeth will start to rot and to fall out. Using dental floss immediately begins to prevent this unhealthy cycle from even getting started.

Flossing your teeth can also make you live longer. Really, it's true. I started flossing my teeth regularly a few years ago after I read a study by Emory University which said people who floss their teeth every day live an average of 6.4 years longer than those who don't. The reasons? One, flossing eliminates bacteria. Bacteria cause infection, which in the right circumstances can kill you. And two, if you floss every day you prevent periodontal disease. If you have periodontal disease you usually end up with a higher white blood cell count. This means it's causing your immune system to be under a lot of stress. Stress makes your overall health much worse. Flossing, though, prevents these two things from happening and gives you a chance at a longer life.

So, if flossing is so healthy for you, how often should you floss? Floss your teeth at least once a day, after every meal if you possibly can. Floss with a coated dental floss as it slides through the gaps between your teeth easier. Or if you hate flossing with dental floss, why not try a disposable dental flosser? These handy little gadgets have a plastic handle and head, with dental floss stretched between bars on the head. You can use each dental flosser one time and, because of the long handle, you might find this is an easier way to reach between your teeth.

I floss my teeth morning, noon and night and, since I started doing this, I've noticed an improvement in my overall health. My teeth look better too. If you follow this simple information and floss your teeth every day, you too will notice a difference not only in the way your teeth look and feel but also in how you look and feel. Try it. You've got nothing to lose and a whole heckuva lot to gain.