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It’s likely she’s envisioning the numerous health advantages and financial savings that come with making flossing a daily habit.
Herbert/Stringer/Archive Photos/Getty ImagesDuring every dental checkup, one question is almost guaranteed: "Do you floss regularly?" For many, the answer is often no. While most people adhere to brushing twice daily, as advised by the American Dental Association (ADA), far fewer follow the daily flossing recommendation [source: ADA].
Many who skip flossing are unaware of its critical role in oral hygiene. Unlike a toothbrush, which cleans the surfaces of teeth and gums, floss is an interdental cleaner-- specifically designed to reach the tight spaces between teeth and the area where teeth meet gums. These are spots a toothbrush can’t access. While antimicrobial mouthwash can eliminate plaque-causing bacteria, it can’t remove hardened tartar or trapped food particles in these areas [source: ADA].
A growing body of research indicates that maintaining proper dental hygiene, including regular flossing, goes beyond ensuring a bright and healthy smile. A well-cared-for mouth can also play a crucial role in preventing more severe, potentially life-threatening illnesses [source: CDC]. If you’re still on the fence about incorporating flossing into your daily regimen, here are five compelling reasons to highlight its importance, starting on the next page.
5: Combining Flossing and Brushing Yields Better Results Than Brushing Alone
Many people respond to their dentist's advice to floss by saying, "I brush my teeth, so I’m covered." While brushing twice daily is essential for maintaining oral health, skipping flossing means you’re missing out on a thorough clean.
A toothbrush removes plaque—a sticky, bacteria-filled film—from your teeth using its soft bristles. Toothpaste boosts this effect, and fluoride-containing varieties help reduce oral bacteria. However, brushing has a significant limitation: it can’t effectively clean between teeth or beneath the gumline [source: ADA].
This is where floss proves invaluable. Designed to eliminate plaque from the tight spaces between teeth and under the gums, flossing before brushing enhances the effectiveness of brushing. With less plaque trapped between teeth, fluoride in toothpaste can reach more areas of your mouth. Consider floss and a toothbrush as a detail brush and a paint roller, respectively. While you could paint a room with just one tool, using both ensures a far superior finish [source: ADA].
While brushing and flossing often dominate oral care conversations, an ADA-approved antimicrobial mouthwash can also provide significant benefits. Similar to toothpaste, mouthwash helps eliminate bacteria that cause plaque. It can penetrate the tight spaces between teeth and gums, especially after flossing removes plaque and food debris. Although it doesn’t physically scrub like brushing or flossing, fluoride-containing mouthwash can strengthen tooth enamel, reducing the risk of cavities.
4: Flossing Also Safeguards Your Gums
The accumulation of plaque and tartar at the gumline can cause swollen, red inflammation known as gingivitis.
©iStockphoto.com/Alexandru KacsoTo grasp the importance of flossing in maintaining good oral hygiene, it helps to understand how teeth are positioned within the gums and jaw. The foundation of this structure lies in the bones of the upper and lower jaws, which anchor the teeth by their roots. These bones and roots are protected by the soft, delicate tissue of the gums [source: ADA].
The junction where gums and teeth meet is where flossing proves most crucial. Small food particles can become trapped here, and plaque in this region can harden over time into tartar, a dense deposit that only a dentist can remove with specialized tools. Tartar accumulation can trigger gingivitis, marked by red, swollen gums—the initial stage of gum disease. Without intervention, bacteria-laden tartar and plaque can spread deeper beneath the gumline, leading to periodontitis, a severe gum condition characterized by inflammation and potential tooth and bone loss [source: AAP].
Floss can access the narrow gaps between teeth and gums, eliminating food debris and plaque that toothbrushes or mouthwash cannot reach.
3: Flossing Can Help You Save Money
With rising healthcare costs and shrinking insurance coverage, taking proactive steps to reduce medical expenses is more important than ever. Research by the Children's Dental Health Project (CDHP) highlights that investing in dental preventive care today can yield significant financial benefits in the future.
In a 2005 report, CDHP researchers compared dental care costs for children who had their first dental visit before age one with those who visited the dentist later. By age five, the first group had dental expenses approximately 40 percent lower than their counterparts [source: Sinclair].
Similarly, the researchers found that in populations more likely to use emergency rooms rather than regular doctor visits, the expense of dental emergency care can be up to 10 times higher than the cost of routine checkups over the same period [source: Sinclair].
One key factor in the cost savings from regular dental visits is patient education on daily brushing and flossing. While professional dental tools and treatments are highly sophisticated and capable of addressing even serious issues, most dentists will emphasize that the simplest, most cost-effective tools for maintaining oral health are a toothbrush and a box of floss.
Start with about 18 inches of floss, winding the ends around your fingers for better grip. Carefully guide the floss between your teeth, avoiding harsh movements that could damage your gums. Curve the floss around each tooth and move it up and down to remove plaque. Avoid using a sawing motion, as this can harm your gums. Dispose of the used floss after cleaning, as it can fray and harbor bacteria. Finish by rinsing with mouthwash and brushing your teeth [source: ADA].
2: Flossing Aids in Preventing Other Illnesses
Flossing demands coordination and dexterity, which means children under 10 may need help or supervision. However, instilling the habit of daily flossing early on can lead to lifelong health benefits.
iStockphoto/ThinkstockTooth and gum disease can impact more than just the appearance of your teeth or cause discomfort and bad breath. Research has revealed that the bacteria thriving in an unhealthy mouth can affect the entire body, contributing to heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory conditions. Recognizing this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2003 advocated for public health initiatives to improve oral health as a way to combat these serious systemic diseases, which affect multiple organs and body systems [sources: CDC, CDA].
Heart disease is the top cause of death in the U.S., and over 25 million Americans suffer from diabetes. If periodontal disease—affecting teeth, gums, and the mouth—contributes to these systemic conditions, then tools like flossing that enhance oral health can significantly improve public health. Flossing takes just a few minutes daily and adds minimal cost to toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouthwash. It’s a simple, small step with profound long-term health benefits [sources: CDC, American Diabetes Association].
1: Flossing Stops Tartar Accumulation
One of the most uncomfortable aspects of a dental visit is the scraping required to remove tartar, a hardened plaque that forms near the gumline. Once tartar develops, only a professional can remove it. Fortunately, flossing offers a proactive way to combat this stubborn issue, empowering individuals to maintain better oral health.
Flossing helps eliminate plaque before it hardens into tartar. In its early stages, plaque is soft and pliable, making it easier to remove. By flossing regularly, you can prevent plaque from solidifying into stubborn tartar over time.
To effectively combat tartar, pair flossing with brushing and an ADA-approved mouthwash. While floss can clean plaque from around the gums, it doesn’t strengthen tooth enamel like fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash. Research shows that combining these methods provides a dual approach: physical plaque removal (flossing and brushing) and chemical cleaning (toothpaste and mouthwash).
Gum disease develops gradually. Tartar and plaque accumulate at the base of teeth, initially causing gingivitis—characterized by inflamed and bleeding gums. While symptoms may seem mild, such as slight bleeding during brushing, they signal the potential for more serious conditions. Fortunately, gingivitis is reversible. Using antibacterial mouthwash, brushing, and flossing can alleviate symptoms and reduce the bacteria and plaque that may lead to advanced gum disease [source: ADA].
