Can Flossing Reduce Your Chances of Getting Periodontal Disease?
Posted on: 28 June 2019
Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a disease that affects a lot of people, and many people who have it do not even realize they do. Living with this condition untreated will only cause it to worsen, which is why you should go to the dentist for regular checkups. During a regular checkup, a dentist can tell you if you have gum disease or not. If you do not have it yet, your dentist might recommend flossing more frequently, as this is a habit that can help reduce your chances of getting gum disease.
How Flossing Helps
When you brush your teeth, you are basically scrubbing your teeth in a way that helps remove the food particles, bacteria, and plaque. Brushing is a good thing because of this, but it has limits. This is why flossing is so important. Flossing your teeth allows you to clean all the areas in your mouth that the average toothbrush cannot reach. Floss is made of a wax-like string material that you insert in between all your teeth, and this material cleans and removes plaque in these areas.
The plaque and bacteria that you remove when you floss cannot be removed from brushing alone, and when you remove it, you are reducing the risks that it will harden and begin working into your gums. This is how flossing reduces your risks of gum disease.
Flossing Alone Helps but You Should Use Other Techniques Too
While flossing your teeth will reduce your risks of gum disease and possibly even reverse the effects of gum disease, there are other things that can also improve the odds of gum disease prevention. One habit you should consider is using a mouth rinse each day, and the best type to use is one that is alcohol-free and designed for reducing bacteria and plaque. This type of mouth rinse is something you only need to use once a day, and it has the potential to destroy the bacteria that leads to gum disease.
The other important thing you can do to prevent gum disease is to visit a local dentist every six months. During a regular six-month checkup, you can undergo a professional deep cleaning of your teeth by a dental hygienist. This service removes plaque and bacteria from the mouth and offers fluoride treatment to strengthen your enamel. Doing this regularly will reduce your risks of gum disease.
If you are currently facing gum disease and need treatment for it, you should visit services in your area such as Bradley Piotrowski, DDS, MSD, LLC.
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