Keeping Up With Flossing

Dental care is more than visiting your dentist or orthodontist every couple of months. It’s also about holding yourself accountable for at-home best practices. Brush your teeth well and… FLOSS! Why’s it necessary?

• Bacteria can solidify into plaque, which is a soft and sticky film that builds up on your teeth. Plaque contains millions of bacteria and causes tooth decay or even gum disease. Plaque begins to harden within a few hours of eating and can stick to your teeth for days. Forgetting to floss may result the need for a professional deep cleaning.
• Flossing reduces gum bleeding. Regular flossing habits results in your body sending blood cells to fight infections like gum diseases.
• Daily flossing will not only make your teeth and gums healthier, your body will benefit too. Diabetes, strokes, heart disease and respiratory disease have all been linked to gum disease. Maintaining your gums by flossing can reduce these risks.

But What About Braces?

Flossing is often forgotten to braces wearers. Perhaps because most people can wonder, “Well how can I floss with these wires?” Colgate’s friendly blog has a couple suggestions we think work well!

• Find the right tool. Use disposable orthodontic floss threaders available in stores. It allows you to pull floss through your teeth and above the wire to reach your gum line.
• Use waxed floss. Waxed floss is less likely to get caught and tear between your braces. Use a floss threader with waxed floss for better results.

Flossing is important for everyone, especially for braces wearers. Take care of your teeth while you are perfecting your smile. If you have any questions, our team at Advance Orthodontics is more than happy to help! Contact us today.

See Colgate’s post here.