There are many things that you, as a dental patient, can do in order to improve your oral health. Because you see your smile every day, you have the ability to monitor your teeth for signs of decay, and take proactive steps to protect your smile.
Today our Glendale dentists are explaining the importance of one particular dental hygiene step—flossing.
Many patients know that they are supposed to floss every day, but they just never get around to it. If this sounds like you, we want to encourage you to reprioritize flossing in your daily dental hygiene routine. When you floss, you:
· Clear plaque and bacteria from between your teeth. It can be difficult to remove this plaque by brushing alone, which is why you need to floss at least once a day.
· Improve the health of your gum tissue. Bacterial plaque tends to accumulate near your gum line and around the bases of your teeth. Using your piece of floss, you can scrape plaque away from the small spaces between your teeth and gum tissues. This helps to prevent both cavities and periodontal disease.
· Remove plaque from the back of your smile. It can be difficult for patients to remove plaque from their backmost teeth and gums by brushing alone. This is because toothbrush heads are often too large and cumbersome for these spaces. Floss allows you to really get into these tight spaces and eliminate harmful plaque.
When you start flossing you may notice that you gum tissue is prone to bleeding. This is a normal, and temporary, occurrence as your gum tissue becomes acclimated to flossing again. Please don’t let this short-term issue deter you from flossing every day!
Our Glendale dentists are happy to give you more tips on maintaining optimal oral health. Just contact our friendly team when you are ready to get started!