Recent surveys revealed a staggering four out of ten adults in Australia admit to rarely, or never, flossing their teeth.
This statistic highlights a significant, yet preventable trend in oral hygiene practices that can have serious overall health implications. Flossing, contrary to popular belief, is not an optional "extra" for your dental care routine. You need to floss in between your teeth - because the surfaces between your teeth cannot be properly cleaned just with brushing. These are areas that a toothbrush cannot reach or clean properly.
Regular flossing prevents cavities, gum disease, and problems, which may result from poor oral health - such as cardiovascular (heart) disease. Making flossing part of your everyday routine could save you money and prevent the need for costly dental treatment. Doing this one small thing (correctly) is key to maintaining your great, healthy smile.
Understanding Flossing and Its Benefits
Flossing is the simple, yet essential, act of using a thin piece of string called dental floss to remove food and plaque from places your toothbrush cannot reach. Removing bacteria from these tight spaces daily reduces the risk of both gum (periodontal) disease and cavities and is absolutely necessary for people who take their clean mouth seriously.
Flossing represents positive action toward not just a clean mouth, but also a connection to whole-body health. Consider the connection between gum disease and heart disease or diabetes. There are plenty of signs pointing to better oral health (prevent gum inflammation and infection through daily flossing) pointing you toward proactive action with conditions such as these.
Insights from Australian Dentists
Australian dentists say flossing is not negotiable because it removes plaque and food particles in places toothbrushes can't, such as between your teeth. A lot of people think they don't have to floss if they brush. But dentists insist if you don't floss, you are at risk of developing gum disease and cavities—developing good habits and adding a daily floss to that routine is crucial.
Dental hygienists recommend a particular way of flossing that includes a gentle sawing technique and to mold the floss around the sides of each tooth. Regular dental check-ups, on top of a professional clean, will help ensure you're getting a clean, only a professional can provide. Regular check-ups will anticipate problems before they happen.
The Consequences of Neglecting Flossing
Plaque starts forming in the small period between the last time you brushed your teeth and the next time you eat. It's a filmy substance - one that is unlikely to form in places where your toothbrush can easily reach. It comes from the act of eating - dead cells and food particles riding around and rubbing between teeth. This creates the film, or plaque, that should be removed. It doesn't require 12 hours to build up, but literally begins to appear minutes after eating.
And that's probably not when you're prepared to brush your teeth again - you're likely on the go.
So the plaque will hang around and harden into tartar, especially if it's an area of the mouth where food particles are consistently working through. The tartar must be scraped away with dental tools because it can't be brushed away with a toothbrush and it will create a cavity if it's not removed.
If you don't want fillings in your teeth and the possibility of future root canals, the floss will help remove those cells.
Flossing is the magic bullet to oral hygiene we have all been missing. Australian dentists are telling us that you simply can’t get to the plaque and food caught between the teeth—where cavities and gum disease start—by brushing alone. Regular flossing means healthier gums, less cavities and a brighter smile.
Good dental hygiene is a package deal, you can’t have it if you don’t floss. It reduces the potential for bad breath, tooth decay from plaque and gum disease, and has all-round benefits to your health. Take a couple of minutes once a day to floss – but we suggest flossing at night prior to brushing so that you have a better chance at a clean mouth overnight. Then you can revisit the issue after breakfast and work on it as your teeth require. It pays to ask for advice on how to floss properly at your dental checkups.