While most people are careful about brushing twice daily, in the morning and before sleep, many are okay with skipping on flossing once in a while. While often underrated, flossing is a critical part of your oral hygiene.
One question about flossing is whether you should floss before or after brushing. While both brushing and flossing are great for keeping your teeth healthy and strong, the order in which they have performed also matters. Read on to learn more about flossing:
Brushing twice daily for two minutes at a time helps remove food leftovers, bacteria, and other debris from your teeth, tongue, and mouth to prevent bacterial plaque and tartar. While your teeth might feel and look clean, they might not actually be clean.
Your toothbrush might not effectively reach deep between your teeth, where debris and bacteria are likely to hide. Not flossing encourages plaque and tartar in these areas, increasing your risk of oral infections.
Flossing daily, whether with interdental brushes, water floss, or floss picks, helps remove debris and plaque from deep between your teeth and around the gum line, reducing your risk of gum disease and tooth decay.
Food debris can easily get trapped and hidden between your teeth even after brushing, leading to a buildup of bacterial plaque and tartar. If left uncleaned long enough, the bacterial deposits release harmful acids that erode your teeth’s enamel, making your teeth more vulnerable to infections and fractures. Flossing daily helps minimize plaque and tartar buildup in the mouth, keeping your teeth healthy.
Some people often floss after brushing. However, this isn’t effective since any debris or plaque removed by flossing is left in your mouth until you brush your teeth next. It encourages plaque and tartar buildup, increasing your risk of oral infections.
Flossing and brushing help remove all the debris released from the mouth, leaving your mouth cleaner and at a lesser risk of gum disease and other oral infections. You should also visit our dentist twice yearly for professional dental cleanings and oral hygiene tips.
While most people know they should brush at least twice daily, in the morning and before bed, they often need clarification about how often to floss. The ADA recommends flossing at least once daily to remove plaque and tartar in hard-to-reach areas. However, you can floss when brushing; it will only keep your mouth cleaner and healthier.
Just flossing won’t keep your mouth plaque free, but flossing correctly will help. Use the following steps to floss:
There are many types of dental floss, including:
Flossing daily helps keep your teeth clean and disease free. Not flossing puts you at greater risk of bacterial plaque and tartar buildup, making your mouth vulnerable to oral issues like:
Visit our best dentist in Brookline, MA, if you have any oral symptoms or problems. When not treated promptly, these oral problems can affect your overall health by causing inflammation and bacterial infections that can contribute to the following:
Contact Dental Partners of Brookline for more information about dental flossing and complete oral exams in Brookline, MA.
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