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People think that brushing their teeth twice a day, morning and night is enough for good dental hygiene. However, if you decide to skip on the flossing this can lead to many more issues than you think.

In this article, we will give you 7 reasons why flossing is important and why you shouldn’t miss it out of your daily routine. There’s a reason why your dentist is always telling you to start flossing! Read on to find out more.

1. It Prevents Gum Disease

Leaving food caught in the gaps between your teeth can lead to your gums becoming inflamed by plaque build-up. Over time this build-up can cause gum disease through the bacteria in the plaque.

Gum disease can cause bleeding or irritated gums as well as eventually receding the gum and where it attaches to the tooth. If the gum recedes too much this can lead to having to have your tooth removed. If you are asking the question: ‘Is flossing really that important? The answer is definitely, yes!

2. Why is Flossing Important: Not Flossing has Links to Heart Disease

Studies have shown that tooth and gum disease can have a hand in the development of heart disease in certain people. This is possibly due to the gum disease causing the narrowing of arteries which, in turn, can increase the likelihood of heart disease.

Give yourself the best chance of a clean bill of health in your later years. Flossing isn’t just about maintaining good oral hygiene, it also has an effect on other important organs in the body.

3. It Keeps Your Breath Fresher

If you have a build-up of food and plaque in your teeth, this isn’t the best basis for a fresh and clean breath. Regular flossing ensures that all that build-up is removed from your mouth and keeps your teeth and mouth much cleaner.

Imagine that there are pieces of your breakfast or what you had to eat last night still stuck in your mouth. That’s what happens when you don’t floss. And the smell from that is certainly not going to be pleasant!

Do your family and friends a favor and floss your teeth to make your breath clean and plaque-free. Nobody wants to smell what you ate a few days ago radiating from your mouth. Flossing ensures that this doesn’t happen and the regular cleaning of your teeth is effective.

4. Gum Disease is Linked to Alzheimer’s

Gum disease caused by not flossing has also been proven to be a high-risk factor in the development of memory loss when you get older, as well as Alzheimer’s. Taking a minute or so of your time each day to floss your teeth isn’t much in the grand scheme of things.

This is especially poignant if you consider that if you don’t you could be putting yourself at unnecessary risk of developing serious medical conditions in the future.

Flossing might feel a little uncomfortable at first, but once you get into a good routine, it becomes almost second nature to reach for the floss at the end of the day.

5. Flossing Can Remove up to 80% of all Plaque Build-up

Plaque build-up on your teeth and between your teeth is one of the main causes for most issues in your mouth to do with good dental hygiene. By being able to remove 80% of the plaque build-up by flossing alone, that’s a huge amount of plaque that you no longer need to worry about.

This will keep your teeth free of infections or recurring issues that plaque build-up can contribute to. It will mean a mouth that is freer of bacteria and cleaner in general.

6. Flossing Reaches the Areas a Toothbrush Can’t

It doesn’t matter if you have the most high-tech, expensive toothbrush on the market, a toothbrush simply cannot reach all of the areas in your mouth that need cleaning.

This is most important in the areas in between the teeth where there are small gaps where plaque and food can get stuck.

The fact of the matter is the toothbrush head is too large to reach these very small areas, meaning that another device will need to be used to remove this build-up.

Floss is able to seamlessly move into the gaps of the teeth and remove the build-up. In particular, paying attention to the wisdom teeth at the back where most of the food gathers and is chewed.

It can also be harder for manual brushes to get the right angle at the back of the mouth, so that’s why it’s crucial that regular flossing takes place.

7. Improves Overall Appearance of Your Smile and Mouth

Regular flossing will make your teeth brighter, whiter, and more attractive when you smile. Over time plaque can contribute to the discoloration of your teeth, leaving your smile looking less than gleaming.

Gum disease can also make your gums red, irritated, and appear puffier than usual. If it is particularly bad, this can cause your mouth to bleed unexpectantly when eating certain foods. If you are on a date or eating out, this can be embarrassing, as well as a little painful.

If you want to feel confident and content smiling in photos or around friends, give yourself a helping hand by flossing regularly. It gives your mouth and teeth the best chance of staying healthy, white, and free from disease and complications.

Why is Flossing Important? And What Else Can I Do?

We hope this article answers the question, why is flossing important, and gives you plenty of reasons why flossing should be part of your life indefinitely. The health and oral hygiene benefits are numerous and help with ensuring your mouth is fresh and clean.

If you would like any further information on our dental services or have a question about flossing, contact us directly to find out more.

Oral hygiene should be paramount in your and your family’s lives. Take the right steps today to make it a priority.