Like "eat your vegetables," "no candy before dinner," and "wear your seatbelt," mom's advice to floss after brushing is often ignored when we become adults. However, just like it is with most of mom's advice, it turns out that mom had it right. The importance of flossing cannot be stressed enough. It's something that everyone should be doing.
While people today are more germ-conscious than ever before, they also place unprecedented faith in cleaning products to remove these germs. The urban legend that mouthwash is more effective than flossing at killing the germs in your mouth is simply not true. This misinformation sells mouthwash, but downplays an important step in oral hygiene.
Mouthwash does not clean the deep crevices between your teeth nearly as effectively as flossing does. Have you ever gotten a big chunk of food wedged between two teeth? Odds are, you reached for a toothpick or a piece of floss to remove it. You probably did not swish a mouthful of liquid around in your mouth to try to get it out. That's because the swishing method would not work nearly as well as the dental floss at removing the food that is stuck between your teeth. If floss is more effective than mouthwash at removing the stuff you can see, guess which one works better on the stuff you can't see.
Nothing cleans the spaces between your teeth better than good old-fashioned flossing. Using mouthwash alone to get your teeth clean is about as effective as dipping a greasy pan in hand sanitizer. A good dental hygiene routine combines brushing, flossing, and mouthwash for an effective, well-rounded clean. Flossing allows a bigger portion of your teeth to be exposed to the cleaning power of your toothpaste and mouthwash. So flossing is not only good by itself, it helps brushing do a better job of cleaning your teeth as well.
If you are already brushing your teeth and using mouthwash daily (I really hope you are), then flossing will only take an extra minute. However, it will make your entire dental routine a lot more effective. A healthy mouth is definitely worth an extra minute a day.
While people today are more germ-conscious than ever before, they also place unprecedented faith in cleaning products to remove these germs. The urban legend that mouthwash is more effective than flossing at killing the germs in your mouth is simply not true. This misinformation sells mouthwash, but downplays an important step in oral hygiene.
Mouthwash does not clean the deep crevices between your teeth nearly as effectively as flossing does. Have you ever gotten a big chunk of food wedged between two teeth? Odds are, you reached for a toothpick or a piece of floss to remove it. You probably did not swish a mouthful of liquid around in your mouth to try to get it out. That's because the swishing method would not work nearly as well as the dental floss at removing the food that is stuck between your teeth. If floss is more effective than mouthwash at removing the stuff you can see, guess which one works better on the stuff you can't see.
Nothing cleans the spaces between your teeth better than good old-fashioned flossing. Using mouthwash alone to get your teeth clean is about as effective as dipping a greasy pan in hand sanitizer. A good dental hygiene routine combines brushing, flossing, and mouthwash for an effective, well-rounded clean. Flossing allows a bigger portion of your teeth to be exposed to the cleaning power of your toothpaste and mouthwash. So flossing is not only good by itself, it helps brushing do a better job of cleaning your teeth as well.
If you are already brushing your teeth and using mouthwash daily (I really hope you are), then flossing will only take an extra minute. However, it will make your entire dental routine a lot more effective. A healthy mouth is definitely worth an extra minute a day.
Don't forget to schedule appointments to see a dentist regularly as well. If you're in Oklahoma City, you should consider coming to Classen Family Dentistry and visiting Dr. Tim Kirby. He has become a trusted dentist in OKC and welcomes the entire family.
You can find him and his wonderful staff online at http://classenfamilydentistry.com/
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