Dental floss is a tool you should use daily to remove food and bacteria buildup from in between your teeth.  Many people don’t like to floss or don’t make it a priority because they don’t see the importance of it, or don’t know how to floss correctly. Brushing cleans the surface of your teeth, but flossing cleans the gaps between your teeth where bacteria often hide.  If you don’t floss, you are more likely to have plaque build-up, which can lead to cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease.

How Often Should You Floss?

Take your time and floss correctly because if you try to do this quickly, you will miss a lot of the bacteria and debris you need to clean out and remove.  It is better to floss at least once a day and to do it slowly so that you clean your entire mouth verses hurriedly flossing several times a day.

Types of Dental Floss

The dental care aisle is filled with many types of floss in the grocery stores or drugstores. There are different types of floss but they all use some type of thread or ribbon. If you have difficulty using the traditional floss or flossers, they do make automatic flossers that will clean the spaces between your teeth for you.

Remember, flossing your teeth daily helps improve your general health as well as your dental health.

I hope this Tooth Talk has helped and call Integrity Dental Care, PLLC (615) 445-8700 or email dr.jmitchell@integritydentalcares.com with any questions you may have.