Flossing tends to be a difficult practice for most adults to put into place.  Flossing is well worth the effort to keep your gums healthy. In addition to making your mouth feel cleaner, flossing helps to prevent gingivitis and gum disease.

Daily brushing is necessary to clean your teeth and remove food particles and bacteria. By itself, however, brushing can only do so much. Dental floss reaches the small areas between your teeth to remove food and bacteria before it converts into plaque or tartar.   Plaque buildup is known to lead to gingivitis which causes gums to swell and bleed, and increases your risk of developing gum disease. Through daily flossing, you can prevent plaque buildup to reduce the risk of gingivitis and gum disease.

Aside from cleaning your teeth, flossing can also help to relieve bad breath cause by trapped food particles. Rotten food releases sulfur compounds and acids that give off bad odors in your mouth. Daily flossing helps eliminate food particles so your mouth can stay fresh and clean.

As October is National Oral Health Hygiene Month, it’s a good time to take a look at your oral health habits and add flossing to your routine, if it isn’t already.  If you resolve to start flossing regularly, and notice bleeding or pain during flossing, it may be a warning sign of gingivitis or gum disease.  Please contact Stoner Periodontic Specialists if you have any questions about gum disease, or would like to schedule an appointment.