We’ve all been there - a put-off trip to the dentist ends with an uncomfortable gum scraping, and a lecture on the importance of regular flossing.
As embarrassing as this is (almost as bad as someone pointing out the food in your teeth that’s been there for who knows how long), many people still do not make flossing part of their daily life.
It’s understandable - flossing can be a hassle, add a step to your oral hygiene, and be tedious for some. So do you actually need to floss?
Yes! Flossing is a key part of maintaining your dental health, and if you don’t floss regularly, there can be some serious consequences. In this article, we’ll give you the full run down, including:
- Short-term Consequences
- Long-term Consequences
- Overall Health Risks
- Ways To Make Flossing Easier
Let’s dive right in!
Beyond Just Bad Breath
Some people view flossing as just an “extra” or cosmetic step, but that’s far from the truth.
There are many real and immediate oral health risks that come with failing to floss regularly.
Plaque and Tartar Buildup
The primary reason to floss is to prevent plaque and tartar build up. As you eat and drink throughout the day, sugars and starches build up on your teeth. If they’re left there, bacteria thrive on the surface of your teeth, forming plaque.
If this isn’t removed promptly, it can calcify and harden, forming tartar which is rigid and can only be removed effectively by a dentist.
Brushing your teeth at least twice a day effectively gets rid of the plaque on the exposed surfaces of your teeth, but toothbrushes do not effectively reach between your teeth.
Tartar can only be effectively removed by your dentist. Therefore, the best approach is prevention. Flossing, coupled with regular brushing, can help prevent tartar formation by removing plaque.
Gingivitis: Your Gums Will Hate You
One of the common consequences of tartar and plaque build up is gingivitis or gum disease.
This occurs when your gums get irritated due to the presence of bacteria and their acidic waste.
Not flossing allows for the accumulation of bacteria in between your teeth, often pressed right up against your gums and unlikely to get removed through brushing or drinking water.
If you notice bleeding, swelling, or tenderness when you floss or brush, these are all early warning signs of gingivitis. While these symptoms may make flossing uncomfortable, it’s important to continue flossing, especially if they’re present.
Luckily, if you catch gum disease early, you should see these issues improve rapidly once you start flossing. It only takes around ten to fourteen days of good oral hygiene practices to reverse mild to moderate gingivitis.
Increased Cavity Risk
The other common problem that occurs when you allow plaque to accumulate is cavities. The acidic waste produced by bacteria can wear down your enamel (the hard, outer layer of your teeth), causing small holes to form.
Once your enamel is weakened, the cavities can grow rapidly, and cause tooth decay and infection if left untreated.
Cavities that form between teeth may be more likely to go unnoticed, as they are difficult to see, and the disruption in texture cannot be felt with the tongue.
If you are not flossing, they may also be concealed by tartar buildup. To prevent cavities, it’s crucial to floss regularly.
Pay special attention to your back teeth - they are the most likely teeth to form cavities as they’re harder to reach, as well as pitted.
If you suspect you have a cavity, it’s important to see a dentist as soon as possible, as they cannot be treated at home and can have serious consequences.
It Gets Worse - Long-Term Consequences
While the above-listed risks of not flossing are no walk in the park, they’re just the tip of the iceberg.
If you don’t floss for an extended period of time (or ever) and don’t visit your dentist for regular checkups, there can be even worse oral health outcomes.
Periodontitis (Advanced Gum Disease)
Periodontitis can occur when gingivitis is left unchecked.
As more plaque and tartar build up at the gum line, pockets can form between the gum and tooth, harboring further bacterial build up, and increased irritation and inflammation.
This infection can cause loss of your gum tissue, bone infection, and tooth loss.
Seeing a dentist on a regular basis is crucial if you develop periodontitis in order to prevent the illness from getting worse.
For best results, you will need to adjust your oral hygiene routine and follow your dentist's instructions to the point.
The long-term prognosis is dependent on both your personal dental hygiene efforts and your dentist's continuous evaluation.
Tooth Sensitivity
Leaving bacteria around your gums also causes gum recession - when the gums move higher up towards your soft palate.
This causes the unprotected root of the tooth to be exposed, leading to sensitivity to contact, heat, and cold.
Your gums also will not grow back on their own, even if you begin a good oral hygiene routine.
The only way to reverse gum recession is through surgical dental intervention, such as dental bonding or gum grafts.
Discoloration and Tooth Shifting
The buildup of tartar can have a host of cosmetically unpleasant consequences as well.
When you don’t floss, the calcified plaque between your teeth fills in the gaps and can stain yellow or brown, especially if you’re a tobacco user or consume staining foods.
Advanced pockets of plaque in your gums can eat away at the soft tissue, causing enlarged gaps that look like “black triangles” between your teeth.
These swollen areas and the associated gum loss can also cause your teeth to loosen, leading them to shift out of place, or fall out entirely.
It's Not Just Your Mouth
If that’s not enough, it’s not just your oral health that can be affected by not flossing regularly.
With advanced infections, particularly gum disease, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and circulate to other areas of the body.
As per the Mayo Clinic, periodontitis can lead to a range of health complications, including “respiratory disease, rheumatoid arthritis, coronary artery disease, preterm birth and low birth weight, and problems controlling blood sugar in diabetes.”
Tooth loss or any open wounds in your mouth also make you more susceptible to any range of air and foodborne diseases.
Additionally, tooth infections caused by untreated cavities can also have severe negative consequences, including full body infection, sepsis, cellulitis, heart problems, and lung disease.
Oral infections can also lead to the bacteria forming an abscess in the brain, which is difficult to treat and can result in death.
You Can Floss!
While flossing might seem like a pain, it’s super important! Everyone should floss once a day if possible, and at least several times a week.
Luckily, there are several steps you can take to make flossing an easier and more pleasant experience.
Busting Flossing Myths
There’s a lot of bad information out there that may have discouraged you from flossing in the past. Here are five of the most common false flossing myths:
While flossing carefully is super important if you have braces, flossing is for everyone! Debris can still build up in the gaps between your teeth even without the extra hardware.
For most people, flossing is a painless process, and is a little uncomfortable at most. If you’re experiencing pain when flossing, the most likely cause is gingivitis, which will go away on its own as you keep up your good oral hygiene habits. If you have persistent pain when flossing, it’s time to visit your dentist.
Children can get cavities, gum infections, and other negative consequences the same as adults! It’s very important that children floss to avoid any of the serious health risks that not flossing can lead to. If your child is younger, or has difficulty flossing, give them a hand!
It’s fine to floss to get food out of your teeth, but that’s not the only time you need to do so. Even if you can’t see it, plaque build up in between your teeth throughout the day is inevitable, and you need to floss to remedy it.
While bleeding gums can be sore and unpleasant, they’re not a sign to stop flossing. In fact, if your gums are bleeding you need to be flossing more!
Finding the Right Floss
A big step to ensuring you floss regularly is finding a flossing solution that works for you!
There are a lot of products out there, so don’t be afraid to shop around to find the right floss for you, or ask your dentist for a recommendation based on your specific needs.
Here are a few common roadblocks and how to overcome them:
If you have never flossed regularly, or even at all, you’re not alone! One recent study found that almost a third of people in the United States never floss at all. If you want to start flossing more, but have no idea where to start, most people opt for a standard, mint flavored floss. For those who don’t like straight mint, cinnamon is also a popular floss flavor that leaves you feeling fresh!
Many people find the physical action of flossing difficult, especially in those harder to reach back teeth. Getting floss picks, or Y-tipped flossers can help get to those tricky areas.
Flossing in the traditional way can be uncomfortable, tedious, or ineffective on certain tooth shaped and dental abnormalities. In these situations, getting a power flosser can be really helpful! This device shoots a strong and precise jet of water, allowing you to clean out your teeth gaps without physical floss. It’ll also save your wallet and the environment in the long run!
Overcoming Challenges
We know there are a lot of reasons why flossing can be difficult. If you’ve been struggling with your mental health, getting yourself to floss can seem nearly impossible.
You are not alone - don’t be afraid to talk to your dentist, doctor, or other professional to help you make a plan that works for you!
Some have even found that prioritizing “little” tasks like flossing can even have a positive impact on your mindset, even when things are tough.
Flossing can also be very difficult for those with sensory issues. If traditional flossing is intolerable, getting a water flosser or floss pick is often a great solution! Things such as incorporating flossing into an existing routine, setting a timer, or flossing with others can also help.
“Food particles trapped in between teeth can lead to tooth damage and gum inflammation. There's nothing like flossing to get rid of it. According to dental professional Dr. Anjum Chaudhary, BDS, MDS, a toothbrush just cannot get in between teeth.”
Conclusion
Overall, flossing is very important for your oral and overall health. While it might seem like a chore, over time, we’re sure you can make flossing part of your routine and embrace the path to a happier mouth!
You CAN floss! If you want the support of a kind and oral hygiene-focused community with amazing flossing products to boot, join the Boka tribe!