A solid oral health routine usually includes brushing twice daily, flossing, and using mouthwash. If you’re like most people though, flossing is one step you often skip. It’s easy to think that you can skip the floss if your teeth feel clean and your breath is fresh after brushing. However, failing to floss regularly can have serious consequences.
Skipping flossing can lead to cavities, gum disease, and bad breath. It can also affect your overall health, cost you expensive dental procedures, and cause long-term damage to your teeth and gums. No matter how well you brush or floss, getting professional teeth cleaning every six months is the best way to ensure your teeth and gums are truly healthy.
At LivWell Dentistry in San Francisco and San Ramon, California, Dr. Wenli Loo and Dr. Steve Deng specialize in providing top-quality dental care, from preventive treatments to advanced procedures like root canals. In this blog, they outline five more reasons why you need to floss.
Research shows a connection between gum disease and cardiovascular disease. When you don’t floss, plaque builds up between your teeth and along your gumline. This plaque has bacteria that can enter your bloodstream, triggering inflammation. Inflammation is among the significant risk factors for heart disease. Some studies suggest that people with gum disease are at a higher risk for heart disease than those with healthy gums.
When plaque hardens into tartar, it pushes the gums away from the teeth, creating pockets where bacteria thrive. Over time, this leads to gum disease, and if left untreated, it can cause your teeth to loosen and eventually fall out. Flossing helps prevent gum disease by removing plaque before it hardens into tartar. Once tartar forms, you’ll need professional cleaning to remove it.
Bad breath (halitosis) is often a sign of underlying dental problems. Even if you brush and use mouthwash, food particles and bacteria trapped between your teeth can cause foul breath. Floss reaches the areas your toothbrush can’t, removing trapped food before it starts to decay. If you’ve noticed persistent bad breath, it could be a sign that you aren’t flossing enough.
People with diabetes are more prone to gum infections because high blood sugar levels create an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. Gum disease can also make it harder to control blood sugar levels, creating a cycle in which poor oral health worsens diabetes symptoms. Regular flossing reduces harmful bacteria in the mouth, helping prevent infections and making managing your blood sugar levels easier.
Over time, not flossing can lead to costly dental problems. Gum disease, cavities, and infections often require expensive treatments like deep cleanings, fillings, root canals, or extractions. Flossing is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to avoid these issues. Taking a few minutes to floss daily can save you thousands of dollars in dental work.
Even if you floss daily, visiting your dentist regularly is essential. Professional cleanings remove plaque and tartar that brushing and flossing can’t reach, and routine exams allow us to catch potential problems early before they require more extensive treatment.
If it’s been a while since your last checkup, now is the perfect time to visit LivWell Dentistry. Our team will help you stay on top of your oral health so you can enjoy a beautiful, healthy smile for years to come. Schedule an appointment online, or call us at 415-477-3700 today.
