Flossing - #1 For Dental Health

No one likes the flossing lecture from their dentist. Problem solved… FLOSS! I used to think flossing was just for food stuck between your teeth, but I was wrong. Even though we can’t feel it, bacteria is always building up on and between our teeth.

Flossing removes the bacteria between our teeth. Also, the less we floss, the more our gums pull away from our teeth. This creates a crevice for bacteria to grow deeper and deeper – eventually reaching the bone or root of our teeth.

From bacteria, our gums become inflamed which can lead to a gum disease called gingivitis. The good news: gingivitis is reversible when we start flossing. The bad news: if the bacteria reaches the bone, bone loss can occur and the damage is no longer reversible.

Why Floss:
Flossing prevents bacteria from reaching the bone or roots of our teeth. Flossing prevents and reverses inflammation in the gums.

Flossing Tips:
- floss once a day
- floss behind your last tooth (molars in the back)
- floss around your teeth, not straight down on the gums

Find Time to Floss:
- after you brush your teeth
- during commercials
- at a red light
- in your bed
- on the phone
- while reading a book
- while checking emails or reading a blog (ha ha)

Some dentists say that flossing may be more important than brushing your teeth. Make it a habit to floss everyday.

No More Bad Breath

Bad breath is hard to get rid of because it has so many different causes, but the main cause is bacteria in the mouth.

The first thought of course is to use gum or mouth wash, but these things just mask bad breath rather than kill bad breath.

The bacteria in the mouth are a result of poor oral hygiene. Most of the bacteria are on the tongue and between the teeth.

• Brush your teeth 2 times a day and FLOSS because food particles that are left to rot in your mouth will most definitely cause bad breath.
  
• A tongue scraper is very effective in getting bacteria off of the tongue.

Saliva is a key component to getting rid of bacteria. Saliva not only washes away bacteria but it actually kills bacteria as well.

• A dry mouth can encourage bad breath… so stay hydrated and drink water.

An unbalanced diet can cause bad breath. Eating too much protein and not enough carbs can lead to bad breath.

• Try eating less protein and more carbs if your diet is unbalanced.

Chronic bad breath can also be a signal for a more serious problem. It is always safe to get a check up with your doctor to make sure your bad breath isn’t because of a more serious health condition.