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Flossing is a Simple Way to Help Avoid These 3 Health Issues

July 18, 2018

Flossing is a Simple Way to Help Avoid These 3 Health Issues

Many people now understand that flossing can be just as important as brushing but that does not mean that everyone has started flossing. At California Dental Group we hope that once our patients understand what is at stake and how much flossing can help, they will begin to do it each day. It doesn’t take like – less than two minutes for most people – and it can make a huge difference in your overall oral health.

Keep reading to find out why flossing is so important and what it can do. If you have dental concerns or it has been at least six months since your last dental cleaning and exam then we welcome you to contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 to set up a dental appointment.

  1. Gum disease
  2. There are actually two main forms of gum disease. There is gingivitis, which is the more common and less serious version, and then there is periodontal disease, which is much more serious. If you do not floss then you are letting bacteria live between your teeth and under your gums. This bacteria can cause plaque, and eventually it can turn into tartar. Note that tartar is the hard substance that can sit on your teeth and irritate your gums. It can eventually weaken the teeth. Note that the sooner we discover gum disease, the easier it is to cure.

  3. Bad breath
  4. Bad breath, or halitosis, is something that everyone gets sometimes. For example, you may have had a meal with tons of garlic or onions in it. That said, there are some people who consistently have bad breath and that breath does not go away even if they stop eating things that cause bad breath. This is the condition of halitosis. Though it can sometimes be caused by underlying issues, it is almost always caused by poor dental hygiene – including not flossing. When you floss, you are getting between your teeth into the tiny crevices to scrape bacteria away. The more bacteria you get rid of, the fresher your breath will be.

  5. Overall health issues
  6. If you believe that flossing only affects your oral health then we want you to stop right there are listen: It can help keep you healthy in other ways as well. When you choose not to floss, you are allowing tons of bacteria to just sit in your mouth. Every time you breath, you are inhaling it. This means that the bacteria goes into your lungs, which research is now showing can result in serious medical issues.

One recent study found that a person with gum disease was three times more likely to get pneumonia. Diabetes is also linked to gum disease: It feeds the facts that cause diabetes and diabetes leads to inflammation which leads to gum disease. It is a full circle problem that can be treated with various methods including starting to floss.

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