5 reasons you need to floss

nat rosasco • February 25, 2020

A woman wearing a white t-shirt and earrings is smiling.

Picture this - you have a dentist appointment coming up. You know the hygienist asks if you floss regularly, so you floss the few days leading up to the appointment. Sound familiar? If so, you're in good company! Over half of Americans don’t floss regularly and 20% don’t floss at all, so if this sounds like you, you're not alone.

But flossing is more than an extra step in your oral health - we understand that it feels like a bothersome task in your already busy day, but consistent flossing does wonders for your health.

5 reasons to floss every day

1. It removes plaque: Did you know your teeth have five surfaces to them? When you skip flossing, you're automatically missing cleaning two of your teeth's surfaces. With flossing, you're working to remove the plaque (sticky bacteria), which can build up and cause decay, cavities, swollen gums, or gum disease.

2. Gingivitis prevention: Gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease, first shows with swollen, bleeding gums. However, when your gums are healthy, they won't bleed, and if they are, this is a great indication that you need to floss more.

3. Total body health: Flossing is about more than your oral health - it impacts your whole body. In fact, good oral health reduces your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, and respiratory disease. When you floss and remove the plaque, you're promoting a healthier body.

4. Gain confidence: A healthier mouth and flossing especially contributes to whiter teeth and better breath, so you can have a more confident smile.

5. Low-cost & effective: There are plenty of high cost tools for your oral health, but floss is not one of them. Floss is the cheapest, easy way to promote a healthy mouth and keep gum disease at bay.

I can't floss - my gums bleed

If you feel like you can't floss because you have swollen, bleeding gums, think again. Our body naturally sends fluid to irritants in our body as part of the healing process. You may have swelling or bleeding after flossing because its our body's inflammation response. In fact, this response is actually your body attempting to irrigate whatever bacteria or food is in your gums through inflammation and bleeding.

The more you floss, the less you'll bleed, and the healthier your gums will be.

Commit to your health

Make the commitment to yourself - you deserve it! Flossing takes just a few extra minutes a day yet can make an incredible impact on your health. Consistency is key - in just a few days, your gums can develop gingivitis; when left unchecked, gingivitis can turn into periodontal disease, which can cause bone loss to the bone that holds your teeth.

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