We’ve all heard how various mouthwashes and toothbrushes can help us prevent gingivitis (the first stage of gum disease), but what you don’t tend to hear outside of your dentist’s office is that even consistently brushing and rinsing twice a day isn’t enough. Semi-annual visits to your dentist for professional hygiene treatments, and (perhaps most importantly) flossing daily are absolutely vital to warding off this all too commonly diagnosed disease. Conservative estimates indicate that at least 80 percent of the population has some form of gum disease, yet most of us don’t realize the seriousness of the issue… or the simplicity of its prevention.
Floss is Your Friend
One myth many people buy into is that bleeding gums are caused by flossing or brushing too hard. So they elect not to floss anymore, worried that they might be damaging their gums (also laziness… lots of people don’t floss because they’re lazy… but that’s a whole other issue). However, the truth is, if your gums bleed when you floss, it’s most likely because bacterial plaque has begun to irritate your gums, and when you finally do pick up the floss, you aggravate that irritation.
While it’s understandable that the bleeding might scare you away from continuing, this is precisely the reason you need to power through and establish flossing as a serious part of your daily dental routine. The longer you keep up the habit, the fewer bacteria will be present and the healthier your gums will be, until eventually the bleeding stops entirely.
Keep ‘em To Yourself
There are many reasons flossing should be firmly implanted into your daily oral health care, but if for no other reason… floss to save your teeth from leaving you forever. The relationship between a man (or woman) and his or her teeth should be a long-lasting one. But gum disease causes bone loss, and because your jaw bone is the foundation of your teeth, as it deteriorates, the less sturdy that foundation becomes. When enough bone loss occurs, your tooth (or teeth) has no other option but to fall right out of your mouth. And the worst part is, if you’ve experienced this kind of bone loss, you will most likely not even be a candidate for dental implants to replace that missing tooth (or teeth).
If you take anything away from this… please floss. Floss to save your teeth. And schedule semi-annual checkups and hygiene treatments so Dr. Brooks can keep a close eye on the health of your teeth and gums and do his part to keep your mouth healthy and free from gum disease. To schedule an appointment with us, contact our Oklahoma City office today.
