If you think you can achieve peak oral health without flossing, think again! Flossing plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy mouth. We understand that flossing your teeth isn’t necessarily an enjoyable task, but we guarantee that it will pay off when you come in for your dental checkup and get a clean bill of health from Dr. Patel!

Possible Dental Health Issues

If you don’t floss your teeth at least once a day, dental problems are likely to arise. Neglecting to floss can lead to a variety of dental issues such as:

• Bad Breath
If you don’t floss your teeth, leftover food particles and debris will stay trapped between your teeth and start to smell over time. This can lead to halitosis (or “bad breath”). Yikes!
• Cavities
Your toothbrush can’t reach every surface of your tooth. If bacteria is left behind, it can cause tooth decay and cavities. Flossing will remove the sneaky bacteria hiding in all those nooks and crannies.
• Gum Disease
Flossing keeps bad bacteria from building up between your teeth and below your gum line. Without flossing, you’re more likely to develop periodontal disease (or “gum disease“) and other gum-related problems. If your gums are bleeding, check out our December blog post to help you discover why!
• Tooth Discoloration
Plaque and debris can cause your teeth to turn yellow. Flossing will help prevent the buildup of plaque before it hardens into tartar. This will make your smile appear healthier and whiter!

Another way to prevent the listed dental issues from occurring is to visit our office every six months. Your routine appointment allows us to deep clean your teeth as well as check for any dental problems so we can treat them while they’re still small. Contact our office to schedule your next dental visit!