Home » Blog » Benefits of dental floss: Why should we use dental floss?
What is dental floss? What is its use and why these days everyone recommends that we must use dental floss in addition to brushing our teeth? What is the reason for the importance of this topic? Join us to examine these questions and also list the benefits of dental floss in this article.
You probably remember that your parents advised you to brush your teeth twice a day at the very beginning of your childhood. Using a toothbrush is one of the most fundamental and basic ways to take care of oral and dental hygiene, and brushing is a permanent part of dental health. But the toothbrush alone cannot lead to the health of your mouth and teeth and your general health, and you must also use dental floss.
Dental professionals are of the opinion that brushing can only clean 65% of the surfaces of the mouth and teeth. Because the toothbrush can only clean the accessible surfaces of the teeth and cannot protect the teeth from bacteria and plaque.
We must use dental floss to remove small food particles and plaque formed between the teeth. Among the benefits of dental floss, we can mention the high maneuverability in the labia of the teeth and helping to clean these areas. In other words, the remaining 35% that the toothbrush cannot clean can only be cleaned with dental floss.
To better understand the work of dental floss, we will examine at least 5 proven and significant benefits of dental floss.
The most important cause of gum disease is poor oral hygiene. As a result of not taking care of oral and dental hygiene, dental plaque can penetrate the gum line and cause tissue irritation. If the plaque grows and hardens, it can go under the gums and cause gum related diseases such as periodontitis and periodontal disease, which in such cases requires gum surgery. But one of the benefits of dental floss is the prevention of these diseases. How?
Flossing can help remove plaques in their early stages of formation and take away the opportunity for them to progress in the gum tissue. Those who regularly floss in addition to brushing their teeth rarely face gum disease.
As we said at the beginning, brushing alone cannot guarantee oral health. But dental floss is a very worthy and strong supplement for the toothbrush in this regard. Another benefit of dental floss is to help eliminate bad breath. Since the presence of small food particles in the mouth and the activity of bacteria is a cause of bad breath, if these particles are not removed, they can cause a bad smell in the mouth.
Fortunately, dental floss can easily remove these tiny particles and reduce bad breath to a great extent. This is especially important when you are undergoing orthodontic treatment because it is more difficult to clean your teeth with fixed or even removable orthodontic appliances. The same is true for dental implants.
Flossing can directly have a positive effect on diabetes control in diabetics. Eliminating tiny food particles and bad bacteria in the mouth means that these bacteria can no longer enter the bloodstream. Reducing the entry of bacteria into the blood can play an effective role in controlling blood sugar levels. Both adults and children with diabetes should floss at least once a day to reap the benefits of flossing in diabetes control.
Bacteria can be transferred to the respiratory system by consuming food inside your mouth. This issue can potentially lead to respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, sinus infections and even pneumonia. But again, in a similar way, flossing can remove excess food particles and bacteria that are produced on them and prevent the occurrence of these types of diseases. So add the prevention of respiratory diseases to the list of benefits of dental floss.
Similarly, this work can prevent heart diseases in addition to respiratory diseases. In addition to other sensitive parts of the body, the entry of bacteria into the bloodstream can directly damage the cardiovascular system. This is especially common in men. Since men are less likely to take care of their oral and dental hygiene, the invasion of harmful bacteria into their blood is more likely, and they will often get these diseases as they age and ignore the principles of oral and dental hygiene.
In addition to brushing and flossing, it is recommended to see a dentist regularly. This visit can guarantee the health of your mouth and teeth because your mouth and teeth will be protected from any damage and complications with regular and detailed examinations.