Flossing; What's the Deal
Whether it be from your mom or your dental hygienist, you have heard of the importance of flossing. Now, we are hearing stories that flossing is ineffective. What's the deal? Let me try and clear-up the confusion for you.
Our mouths are inhabited with bacteria. To maintain healthy teeth and gums, we must regularly remove this bacteria. Failure to adequately remove bacteria (in the form of dental plaque) from our teeth and gums can result in cavities and gum inflammation which can lead to periodontal (gum) disease. Not only can periodontal disease lead to a loss of teeth, but studies also seem to link Periodontal Disease to (for more details, see http://www.amdds.com/patient/total-body-health):
· Cardiovascular disease and stroke
· Pancreatic Cancer
· Low birth weight babies
· Pneumonia
So, it is very important to adequately clean your teeth and gums. That includes the spaces in-between your teeth. Flossing has been the most popular method to clean that interdental space. Failure to do so, will result in inflamed and ulcerated tissue approximately the same size as your palm. Think about that, how would you deal with an ulcer the size of your palm anywhere on your body?
Flossing is not easy. It is very technique sensitive. Some of us do very well maintaining oral health with a brush, floss, and a rinse. For some of us, flossing just does not work. Our team has been teaching flossing, Interdental brushes, stimudents, Airflossers, WaterPiks, etc. for quite a while. Interdental cleaning is not one size fits all, it's about what works for you!
The articles are accurate in questioning the effectiveness of flossing. What they forgot to mention are the multiple other methods available to clean between your teeth. Cleaning between your teeth is essential to maintain healthy teeth and gums.
Summary:
·Be sure to clean between your teeth
·Use the method that best works for you
Speak with your dentist or dental hygienist for tips on what would be best for you. At Anthony Markiewicz, DDS, Ltd we have great resources on our Website (http://www.amdds.com/patient/oral-hygiene)including a short video showing my oral hygiene regimen. Feel free to call our office: Anthony Markiewicz, DDS, Ltd at 847.566.2811 or visit our website at www.amdds.com with any questions.