Flossing may be more important than brushing. YES, you need to brush twice a day, but if you’re not flossing, you’re missing a lot of debris. Only flossing cleans the sides of the teeth that face neighboring teeth, and even under the gums. This is where decay and gum disease are most likely to occur. Fact is that just brushing won’t effectively clean these hard to reach areas. And while the floss picks and other flossing devices are good, nothing beats traditional floss for really getting at every crevice.
FACT: Bleeding gums are not normal! Some people say that their gums only bleed when they floss. But healthy gums don’t bleed during proper brushing or flossing. If yours do, you need to talk to your dentist. During a routine cleaning, some bleeding is normal because dental hygienists are doing such a thorough job and using instruments.
The mouth is a part of the body. That may sound obvious, but somehow the mouth is isolated from the rest of the body in many people’s minds and even by our health care system. Fact is that the mouth affects the rest of the body and vice versa, particularly when it comes to problems like diabetes and gum disease as well as oral cancers.
If it has been awhile since you have seen your hygienist for a cleaning, now is a good time to make that appointment and let us help you get back on track with regular dental hygiene care. Your health depends on it!