Fall for Flossing

F word again: FLOSS!

You may have heard some stories circling the world of technology about floss being ineffective and a waste of time. I’m here to help steer you clear of the bad habit of not flossing.

As a dental hygienist, I am consistently trying to figure out ways to educate you, as my patient, to understand what I see in your mouth and why it has occurred. I will almost always recommend the, “Floss, Brush, and Rinse” regimen and introduce those 3 methods as an all in one package to a healthy mouth. You can’t do one but not the other expecting to see great results.

If you were to bring your vehicle through the car wash, and only had the mop-heads placed on the front and back of your car, you would leave with a beautifully clean front and back but dull and dirty sides. The same goes for your mouth; you have 4 sides to your teeth and brushing alone will only clean the front and back surfaces.

How about entering that very same car wash but having no mop-heads at all, and only water?! Again, you’d leave a bit disappointed seeing all the debris still stuck on your car. That’s how your teeth feel if only using mouth rinse. While you were able to wash away some of the loose build up we need that mechanical action to wipe away the bacteria and plaque that develops in between the teeth.

While flossing may add an extra minute to your home care regimen, you are only cutting yourself short of a healthy mouth by cutting out ‘the flossing’ step. We all want to leave our dental appointment hearing we have healthy gums and no cavities. Give it a try – Brush twice a day, Floss at least once, and use a fluoride Rinse. Then show off that healthy smile!