Some people don’t floss just because they dislike the tedious process, other people have an extra strong gag reflex that wards them off from ever reaching the back teeth of their mouth. There are many reasons why patients may avoid flossing—but that doesn’t excuse the bad habit of skipping this part of your dental routine.

Flossing is critical to keeping your smile strong for years to come. Other than your dentist in Sacramento “nagging” you about your lack of flossing, there are a few other reasons why you may want to reconsider skipping this part of your dental home care program.

Ignore the Headlines, They Don’t Have Your Best Interest in Mind!

There have been reported articles that have claimed that flossing isn’t a “make or break” factor that affects your oral health. This simply isn’t true. They claimed things like:

• Your dentist has ulterior motives for recommending flossing, like bigger paychecks.
• Flossing is unnecessary and doesn’t affect your oral health.

First off, the main priority of your dentist is to help you maintain your best smile—both health wise and aesthetically. There are literally no other motives associated with flossing. In fact, most dental practices give out floss for free!

Secondly, flossing directly affects dental health and the strength of your smile’s foundation: your gum health. When you take the time to remove excess bacteria from your teeth and gums by flossing, you’re decreasing your chances of developing gum disease. Studies have found that you actually clean up to 35% more of your teeth’s surfaces when you floss.

Flossing Wards Off Gum Disease

When you choose to skip flossing even just once a day, you leave more dental bacteria and debris in your mouth to attack your teeth and gums. Dental debris and plaque can harden to tartar on your teeth, between your teeth, and below the gum line. Before you know it, you could be facing a debilitating oral disease: gum disease.

Gum disease can develop into its advanced form: periodontal disease. Advanced gum disease is known to cause infections throughout your mouth and inflammation, leading to serious systematic health problems. Some signs of gum disease include:

• Loose permanent teeth
• Chronic bad breath
• Bleeding gums
• Inflamed gums
• Receding gums

If you have a tough time creating a better habit of flossing, just remember that your dentist is on your team. Need advice on the best flossing tools, practices, or ways to form a better, consistent habit? Call your local practice.

About Our Office

As mentioned above, your local dentist is here to help you and steer you in the direction of better oral health. Dr. Scott Grivas knew that he wanted to work in the medical field because he has a passion for helping people and caring for patients. His kindness and desire to develop long-lasting relationships with each of his patients has created a successful and ultimately, benevolent dental practice. If you need high-quality dental care backed with effective services, feel free to schedule your next appointment with us at the office of Dr. Grivas.