There are dozens of benefits of flossing daily, but here we’ll focus on a few. They’re more than enough reason to start flossing every day. These benefits include things everyone wants, like bright, healthy teeth and fresh breath. Daily flossing does more for your smile, your health, and your confidence than you might expect.
Prevent Early Tooth Decay
Even if you polish the front, back, and tops of your teeth until they glow, they aren’t fully cleaned until you floss. Early tooth decay often creeps in from the sides. The spaces between teeth get less attention because we don’t see them as often, but without the care the other sides of your teeth enjoy, the enamel weakens.
Weakened enamel between teeth deteriorates the whole tooth. This gap in your defenses against plaque, tartar, and bacteria can corrode otherwise healthy teeth.
Benefits of Flossing Daily Go Beyond Teeth
Strong, clean teeth are not the only element in a healthy mouth. Gum disease can ruin a smile much faster than a cavity, and flossing is one of the most important parts of maintaining good gums and avoid gum recession. If you notice blood when you spit after brushing, your gums look too red, or your gums look pale, then you may already be suffering from gum disease.
Although daily flossing may be uncomfortable for the first week or two for someone with unhealthy gums, the results are always worth the effort. Gums live all around your teeth, even between them. Leaving the spaces between each tooth uncleaned provides bacteria and pathogens a place to grow and invade. Any discomfort from a new flossing habit pales compared to the pain of entrenched gum disease and the exposed roots from receding gums. Don’t wait for gums to start deteriorating to give them the same level of care you give your teeth.
Fresh Breath
One of the surprising benefits of flossing daily is fresher breath. Flossing removes more than plaque. It cleans the tiny gaps between teeth that toothbrushes can’t reach. Food hides in there, stays there and rots there. No matter how white and clean a smile looks, your breath will carry odor without regular flossing.
If you find yourself reaching for mints before a close conversation or nervously checking your breath in your palm, you may need to floss more often. Daily flossing removes food before it can rot in your mouth. It has immediate benefits, but those improvements build over time.
Bacteria that lead to halitosis thrive on leftovers. Flossing away their snacks leads to better results than any masking technique. This simple addition to your routine does more than removing signs of last night’s Italian meal from your grin. It may help build confidence because a good breath and a healthy smile go hand-in-hand.
Cut Down Tartar
Hard, yellow matter creeping along the gumline often grows from the gaps between teeth. Tartar builds and spreads gradually, and brushes alone can’t reach the root of the problem. Many people with good brushing habits still deal with old yellow plaque hardening into tartar at the top edges of their teeth. Proper flossing technique doesn’t just clean between teeth. It addresses the gumline, where tartar grows.
If you touch the place where your gums and teeth meet, you’ll feel a clear ridge. Even vigorous brushing can’t quite reach the deepest part of that crease, but flossing can. Daily flossing prevents tartar from building up in this vulnerable gap by slipping under the soft edge of your gumline and cleaning one of the most vulnerable parts of the tooth.
Get Help with Flossing
Are you new to flossing and worry about your dental hygiene? Maybe you’re a champion flossing expert, but it’s time to protect your teeth with a fluoride treatment, or you need to stop grinding your teeth with a nightguard. Whether you’re looking for cosmetic improvements or regular dental healthcare, call Lovett Dental Northside at 713-691-5551 to learn how we can help protect and improve your smile.
