Maintaining good oral hygiene is crucial to your overall health and vitality. Regular dental examinations and cleanings are essential to maintaining a healthy mouth, as are twice-daily brushing, limiting sugar intake, consuming lots of water, and flossing. The risk of cavities and gum disease can both be reduced by daily flossing. If things persist longer than usual, it’s best to consult a dentist.

It’s easy to let your oral hygiene slide and end up with more trips to the dentist. Flossing is good for more than just your teeth. It’s good for your whole body. The following are the top five reasons why flossing is so important for your gum health.

When you floss, you remove plaque.

The transparent, sticky film that develops between your teeth and gums is called plaque. Even though plaque is invisible, it can negatively impact your oral health. Numerous bacteria live in your mouth, and they form a sticky film when they join forces with food and drink remnants.

Plaque forms when carbohydrates, acids, and bacteria combine, which happens when you don’t floss your teeth since bacteria produce acids that break down carbohydrates. Plaque causes cavities by slowly eating away at tooth enamel. Tartar, the hardened form of plaque, can develop along the gum line and contribute to periodontal disease. To maintain your gums and teeth healthy and free from disease, it’s essential to eliminate plaque and tartar regularly by brushing and flossing.

The risk of developing gum disease can be reduced by regular flossing.

Gingivitis, which results from a buildup of plaque and tartar on teeth and gums, is a prevalent form of gum disease. As the name implies, this is the first stage of gum disease. Having gingivitis means you have gum inflammation. Inflamed gums are more sensitive to touch and bleed more quickly during oral hygiene routines like flossing and brushing. Gingivitis leads to periodontitis if it is not treated. Your gums will recede from your teeth if you have periodontitis. This will lead to the weakening of the jawbone and eventual loss of teeth. If you haven’t been treating your periodontitis, you could be at risk of contracting an infection that would spread throughout your body.

If you floss once a day, you can prevent plaque from hardening into tartar and damaging your gums. To receive the maximum benefit for your gums, you need to floss correctly, wrapping the floss around each tooth and massaging it gently along the gumline.