Brushing your teeth at least twice a day is a good oral hygiene practice. Nevertheless, brushing alone is not adequate. A study reported by CNN recently indicated that one-third of the American population isn’t flossing due to a lack of knowledge on the benefits of flossing.
While speaking to CNN, Dr. Duong Nguyen was of the opinion that patients are more likely to be persuaded to floss if they are frequently reminded from different quarters on the risk and benefits of flossing.
Floss and Brush
Flossing augments brushing. According to Dr. Stephen Petinge of Petinge Dental, flossing aids in removing food debris in between the teeth. Patients who rarely floss risk developing plaque, an organic matrix that nurtures bacteria that causes cavities.
Once plaque hardens to form tartar, even the best brushing techniques and toothpaste available unfortunately would not suffice in getting rid of them. It’s this reason that our Saugus dental team always underscores the need for frequent flossing.
Whether to floss or brush first is a non-issue: the most important recommendation we have for our patients is to be thorough while brushing and use the correct techniques when using interdental cleaners. Ask Dr. Petinge if you have any more questions!
