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Is flossing actually that important for oral health? We know many of our dental implant patients here in Hoffman Estates, IL have wondered about the real importance of flossing before. Unfortunately, this is an area of oral hygiene that is often overlooked and misunderstood. In fact, we know that there are many patients out there who believe that brushing is the only essential aspect of oral hygiene. This is simply not true!
Dental professional recommend flossing at least once per day to remove plaque and bacteria buildup along and underneath the gum line. Failing to floss on a regular basis can increase your likelihood of developing tooth decay and gum disease, which can ultimately lead to tooth loss. Although we’re happy to offer plenty of restorative services like dental implant treatment to give you a healthy complete smile, we believe prevention is the best tool for keeping oral health in tip-top shape. With that being said, we’d like to take this opportunity to stress the importance of flossing for your oral health. To explain more on this subject, Dr. Peter Troyan shares the top six reasons to make flossing a priority for his patients here in Hoffman Estates.
Common Beliefs About Flossing
Like we mentioned before, flossing is one of the most overlooked yet essential tools needed to maintain a healthy smile. Statistics from the American Dental Association in a 2013 survey revealed some pretty alarming statistics about the oral hygiene habits of American adults. According to the survey, only 50.5% of Americans floss daily while 31% floss less than daily and 18.5% who do not floss at all.
American don’t just floss less frequently than advised but they also have a negative view of flossing as well. Another survey from the American Academy of Periodontology found that more than a third of Americans would rather do an unpleasant activity rather than flossing daily. Some of these unpleasant activities include washing a sink full of dirty dishes, waiting in a long check-out line, cleaning the toilet, and sitting in gridlock traffic.
Six Reasons Flossing is Important
The next question we’re sure our readers are wondering is why is there such a negative attitude about flossing. We believe that many patients are not fully educated about the importance of flossing and would be more inclined to create a positive attitude about flossing if they knew just how crucial it is for oral health.
With this in mind, we’d like to highlight the top six reasons to include flossing in your daily oral hygiene routine:
Keep Your Smile Whiter: When plaque accumulates after a long period of time, it eventually hardens into tartar. Tartar often looks a yellowish or brownish color and will dull the look of your white smile. Since tartar is hardened, patients will also need the help of a dental professional to have it removed. To avoid this problem, simply floss regularly to remove plaque before it hardens into tartar.
Avoid Tooth Decay: Plaque will slowly wear away at the enamel of your teeth to reach the inner layers of the tooth. Tooth decay can lead to extreme sensitivity and even tooth loss if the issue isn’t treated in a timely manner. Flossing daily is crucial for avoiding plaque accumulation and tooth decay.
Avoid Gum Disease: Plaque can also accumulate along and beneath the gum line, which will result in gum inflammation. Patients will often notice their gums appear red and swollen as they develop gingivitis. As this problem progresses, the gum infection will destroy supportive bone and gum tissue that holds your teeth firmly.
Improve Bad Breath: When food particles are left in your mouth, they will begin to decay and give off a foul odor. In many instances, this can be the root problem associated with bad breath. To avoid this issue, floss regularly to remove food particles and bacteria beneath the gum line and in hard-to-reach areas.
Maintain Overall Wellness: Poor oral health has been linked to a variety of systemic health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Taking care of your smile won’t just affect your visual appearance, but it can also lower your risk for other health concerns that affect your overall wellness.
Save Money: Treating tooth decay and gum disease can rack up a pretty hefty dental bill, especially if the problem has progressed for a long period of time. As we mentioned before, preventative tactics like flossing can stop any oral health problems before they arise. In the end, investing a few minutes out of your day and a few bucks for floss will be quite a bit cheaper than any dental work you may need in the future.
Contact our Office in Hoffman Estates
We’d like to stress the importance of flossing for all of our patients here in Hoffman Estates. If you’re already in the midst of dealing with severe oral health problems like tooth loss, we can help! We offer high-quality dental implants to give you a healthy smile again! To get started on your dental implant treatment, contact our office to schedule your no-obligation consultation with Dr. Troyan today.