By Washington Dental Service Foundation
Good oral health is a critical part of your overall health. Oral disease is preventable if you follow these simple steps: Brush twice a day, eat tooth-friendly snacks (including fruits, vegetable, and cheese), get regular oral health checkups, and floss daily.
Flossing every day is important for good oral health. While a toothbrush cleans the surface of your teeth, flossing removes what lurks in between and under the gum line. All the grooming in the world won’t help if you have a piece of spinach stuck in your teeth or if you have bad breath because of a gum infection.
Daily flossing and brushing helps you look and feel better by preventing cavities and gum infections, keeping your breath fresh and helping you look younger (by helping to prevent gums from receding).
Flossing is easy. It only takes a couple of minutes — less time than it takes to shave or apply mascara.
Flossing saves you money. Every cavity prevented saves you more than $2,000 over a lifetime.
Of all the jars, bottles, and tubes in your medicine cabinet, dental floss may be the most powerful beauty and health product not being used frequently enough. Flossing is like yoga and exercise. It improves whole body health. Flossing at least once a day reduces the potential for infections, not only in your mouth but elsewhere in your body.
When fragments or bits of food are left to fester, infections and gum disease can follow. Gum disease not only means swollen, bleeding gums, but it can lead to chronic inflammation. And that has been linked to diabetes and cardiovascular problems, such as heart disease, blockages of blood vessels, and strokes.
Flossing is also a daily beauty and grooming tool that helps you look younger. Unhealthy teeth and receding gums are noticeable signs of aging that can be easily avoided.
Take care of your teeth and gums by wrapping them in a floss embrace every day. Your oral and overall health will improve – and so will your breath. (end)
To learn about more about protecting your oral health, visit TheMightyMouth.org.