The 4 Top Benefits of Flossing & How to Do It

Good oral health starts at home by maintaining effective dental hygiene habits.

Brushing and flossing are both compulsory. However, flossing is commonly incorrectly regarded as an optional addition to brushing teeth.

As your family dentist in Canley Heights, we’re here to help you maintain the best possible oral health. Daily flossing is a major contributor to this.

In this article, we share four of flossing’s best benefits and teach you how to do it like a pro.

Top 4 Benefits of Flossing

The Australian Health Policy Collaboration data revealed some alarming statistics. Up to 90% of Australian adults have some form of tooth decay present.

Further, only 50% of Australian adults brush their teeth twice daily, and as little as 5% floss.

Flossing is essential. The benefits speak for themselves.

#1. General Preventative Oral Care

The adage “prevention is better than cure” is one that we are all familiar with.

Flossing plays a huge role in preventative dental care, which can help you avoid painful and costly dental conditions down the road. Our mouths are a hotspot for germs and bacteria.

Bacteria and other bacteria are trapped in the difficult-to-reach spaces between teeth, regardless of how frequently you clean them.

Flossing is the ideal tool for accessing all areas, helping you remove debris that would otherwise build up and turn into plaque.

Plaque is the yellow sticky film that forms on your teeth. It is responsible for both damaging and staining your teeth over time.

#2. Reduced Tartar Build-Up

Plaque forms on teeth quickly and can accumulate rapidly if left to its own devices. When plaque builds up on your teeth for an extended period, it hardens and forms tartar.

Tartar is particularly difficult to remove. The only person who can remove it is a dentist. And the long-term effects of it staying on your teeth are detrimental to your dental and general health.

A major benefit of daily flossing is that it effectively removes plaque between teeth and gumline. This decreases plaque build-up, which means less tartar can form on teeth.

#3. Decreased Risk of Gum Disease

The build-up of plaque and tartar looks unsightly and severely damages teeth and gums. Gum disease, which results in infection and inflammation, may result from it.

The plaque that lingers in your mouth due to not flossing also breaks down your gum tissue, causing periodontal disease. In advanced forms, periodontal disease leads to rapid rates of decay and root canal problems.

Flossing and brushing are the best ways to keep your gums healthy and avoid gum and periodontal disease. Flossing removes bacteria from the base of your teeth, the most vulnerable part of your gums.

#4. Fresh Breath

Food stuck between teeth is broken down by oral bacteria, which might produce a bad odour. Daily flossing removes this debris, directly preventing bad breath.

Gum (periodontal) disease and tooth decay are two dental health conditions that can cause bad breath. Issues like these can be prevented by adhering to a good dental hygiene routine, including daily flossing and brushing.

There is no arguing that a great benefit of flossing is fresher breath!

How to Floss Like a Pro

Many people dislike flossing. Some say it’s too fiddly, and some say it hurts. But when done correctly, flossing can be quick and comfortable. Of course, it does take a bit of getting used to.

Luckily, we have some tips on flossing like a pro to give you a head start.

• Begin with around 30cm or 40cm of floss. After winding it around your middle fingers, leave about 3cm to floss your teeth.
• Have a solid grip on the floss with your thumbs and index finger before you start sliding it up and down the spaces between your teeth. Use a back-and-forth motion to insert and remove the floss.
• Be gentle – no part of flossing, if done correctly, requires too much vigour.
• Slide the floss gently around the base of your teeth, under your gumline.
• Each tooth should be flossed with a clean portion.

Floss Your Way to Dental Health!

We hope this article has inspired you to reach for the floss tonight and make it part of your daily dental routine.

As you can see, flossing is essential for keeping teeth and gums healthy. Dental health plays a large role in overall health!

Brushing your teeth only does part of the work, so brushing alone is not enough. Our experienced dentists in Canley Heights are happy to answer your flossing questions and show you how it’s done during your dental appointment.

Contact (02) 9199 9678 or book your online appointment.

Visit us at 1/229 Canley Vale Road in Canley Heights.