If you ask a dentist for tips on caring for your teeth at home, they’ll all offer the same advice: brush twice a day and floss at least once each day. Brushing your teeth removes plaque and bacteria from the surface of your teeth, but flossing goes deeper. This technique allows you to clean in between teeth and around the gums, removing bits of food debris and bacteria that your toothbrush can miss. Mark Stephens DMD, a dentist in Richmond, KY, recommends flossing to all of his patients.

Below, he explains why you should floss daily:

Flossing Removes Plaque

Flossing removes the plaque that builds up in between teeth and along the gum line. Oral plaque can introduce up to 500 different species of bacteria to your mouth. If left uncleaned, this bacteria can thrive on food debris, resulting in infections.

It Can Keep Gingivitis Away

Skipping out on your flossing routine can result in an infection of the gums known as gingivitis. If allowed to progress, gingivitis can cause periodontitis, or gum disease. Although it is treatable by a dentist, gum disease can severely weaken your gums, resulting in tooth loss. Flossing each day will drastically minimize your risk of contracting gingivitis.

Freshens Breath

When the bacteria from plaque and food debris is left to linger in your mouth, it will eventually begin to decompose and create a bad odor. This odor will cause your breath to become unpleasant, resulting in uncomfortable social situations. When you floss after eating, it removes the bad-breath-causing germs and bacteria and improves the freshness of your breath.

If you would like to have Dr. Stephens examine your teeth and determine how well your flossing routine is going, call (859) 626-0069 today to schedule a dentist appointment. For information on other procedures offered by this family dentistry, including orthodontic treatments such as Invisalign® or dental veneers, visit the website to learn more.