Flossing Is Important

Posted on 12/5/2022 by San Tan Oral Surgery

While the title of this post is a joke, it's no laughing matter that 70% of all adults don't floss at all, even though dentists recommend daily brushing and flossing for good dental health. If you are one of the millions of people who don't floss, here are some reasons why you might want to consider flossing daily.

Flossing Helps to Prevent Tooth Decay and Gum Disease

When you floss, you are helping your mouth fight both cavities and gum disease. Flossing helps release food that is trapped between your teeth that you may not be able to get rid of through flossing alone. If you allow those food particles to remain, they become food for something else- bacteria. There are millions of bacteria living in your mouth naturally. While some bacteria in your mouth are good because bacteria help you digest food, too many bacteria cause tooth decay and gum disease. Bacteria gradually eat away at the enamel on your teeth, which causes cavities.

Another reason you floss is to rid your mouth of plaque. Plaque is actually a sticky layer of bacteria and toxins from the bacteria that you have on your teeth and gums every day. Flossing helps relieve your teeth and gums of the layer each day. If you don't remove the plaque through brushing and flossing, it can harden into tartar. You can't get tartar off your teeth yourself; only a dentist or dental practitioner can get the tartar off your teeth. Tartar is one of the reasons people have gum disease. Once gum disease progresses into periodontitis, the damage to your gums is irreversible. It is easier to floss your gums than live with gum disease.

Luckily, there are all kinds of ways you can floss your teeth if you don't like the traditional method. Why not try stick flossers, which are easy to manipulate? You can also try a flossing toothbrush, which uses water to floss your teeth. While flossing is tiresome, it is the best way to make sure your teeth and gums stay healthy.

About
Dr. Cynthia Colson

Dr. Colson grew up in the Metro area, attending Camelback High School and ASU. She graduated from the University of Kentucky Dental School and completed her residency at Long Island Jewish Hospital in Long Island, New York. She also attended an anesthesia fellowship program at the University of Illinois at Chicago and has traveled with Healing The Children, a non-profit organization, to Bucarumanga Columbia treating patients with cleft lip and palate deformities.
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What our patients are saying about us

"Dr. Colson is amazing! She explained everything thoroughly without sounding condescending and gently but directly guides you through the whole procedure. She is excellent and super experienced. I got my wisdom teeth pulled (3 partially impacted and one simply extracted) and aside from asking too many questions under laughing gas before the general anesthesia knocked me out, I got no complications and have had essentially no pain at all." – Ana D.

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Office hours

Mon - Thur: 8am to 5:00pm
Friday: 8am to 2:00pm

Location

3303 S. Lindsay Rd.
Suite 112
Gilbert, AZ 85297

Contact

Office: (480) 604-2592

Connect

Santanxray@gmail.com

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San Tan Oral Surgery, 3303 S. Lindsay Rd. Suite 112, Gilbert, AZ 85297-2100 - (480) 604-2592 - santanoralsurgery.com - 12/4/2025 - Page Terms:Dental Implants Gilbert AZ -