Is Flossing Important?

Nearing middle age I have began to look at life a little differently.  I am noticing that I am really truly not as young as a once was.  I went to play basketball this last weekend and it had been almost a year since I had previously played.  The next morning my body felt wrecked.  My knees hurt and my back felt like I had run a marathon.  Clearly I am a bit out of shape, but it also got me thinking about all other aspects of my life and health.  One area I have always feared was my dental hygiene.  I have always feared my teeth being filled with cavities and eventually falling out.  It was always a nightmare of mine as a child, but even with this fear my dental health has not always been perfect.

In reality I brush my teeth about once a day and sometimes I forget.  So I am wondering if now I need to add flossing to my daily routine to keep my teeth healthy.  Apparently I have joined 36% of Americans who do not floss at all.  I really only floss when I get something truly stuck in my teeth. So in reality its about once a month.

 Looking into the topic it seems that flossing is very important and something I should start doing on a daily basis if I can remember to do it.  The extra flossing helps get rid of extra bacteria, plaque and food which has gotten stuck on enamel.  So in the end it will help get rid of cavities and tooth decay.  Upon hearing this I was asountded that I have been missing out on such an important part of my health.

Apparently bad breath comes from tarter.  I learned that tarter is created when plaque builds up on tooth enamel.  This is the main cause of bad breath and shows me that brushing and using mouthwash it not enough.  I need to start flossing to get rid of plaque before I go to sleep. And not only that it helps a more serious health issue.

I learned that it can help prevent heart disease. So when you have gum disease due to cavies and plaque and tarter buildup you have a chance of it getting into your gums. That bacteria that gets into the bloodstream from the gums can actually cause heart disease. So flossing not only is important for dental health but also your whole body’s health and cardiovascular health too. As always see your healthcare provider for more information and to see if flossing should be a part of your daily routine too.