The Importance and Benefits of Flossing

The Benefits of Flossing

Dental floss is an integral part of an at-home dental care routine. After all, using it consistently makes for a healthier mouth and a healthier you, overall. We talk a lot about flossing, but we often skip over the fundamentals of why flossing is important, to begin with. So, let’s get into the importance of flossing, some facts that may surprise you, and several of the benefits that are associated with it.

A Brief History of Flossing

Flossing has a robust history dating back to prehistoric times. Before the invention of floss, as we know it, prehistoric humans used horsehair and twigs to remove debris from between their teeth. Looking forward to several centuries later, New Orleans dentist, Levi Spear Parmly, invented a waxen silk product that was safe to use, and it became widely available and used.

Now, more modern iterations of floss are cheaper to make, durable, and come in a variety of textures, materials, and flavors that will suit the majority of oral care preferences. There are even dental picks and water sprays that will help achieve similar results as traditional flossing. With all of these relatively recent innovations in flossing technology, who knows what’s in store in the future?

Why is Flossing Important, Anyway?

Flossing can help improve the appearance of your mouth as well as your dental hygiene and overall health. While brushing alone cleans the surfaces of your teeth, you need to floss to clean out the gaps between your teeth. The spaces in between your teeth are where bacteria live, so if you don’t floss, you’re more likely to get a build-up of that bad bacteria. This build-up will lead to harmful plaque which can lead to cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. Additionally, flossing can prevent the bad breath that’s caused by bacteria, and remove food and debris from between your teeth. 

The Top Benefits of Flossing

Along with why flossing is beneficial for your overall oral health, flossing is also important for a variety of reasons, and it lends itself to so many surprising benefits. Check out some of the top ones below!

1. Flossing leads to decreased gum sensitivity
2. Flossing prevents serious diseases, like heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, that can be caused by gum disease
3. It is more effective than brushing alone, which will lead to better dental appointments
4. It prevents respiratory diseases like bronchitis and pneumonia

Flossing is great for you, folks, so don’t skip this step in your home dental routine. And, if you need a dentist that will help you build or maintain healthy dental habits, reach out to All Smile Care today!