Floss to Boost Your Health

When you think of caring for your teeth and your oral health what comes to mind? If you are like most people, the answer of “brushing my teeth” is often the only one you will get. Sure, if pressed, many people will also agree that visiting the dentist is important. Yet, if flossing is not on your list of oral health care, it is time to reevaluate how you care for your teeth – and your entire health. The most important thing you need to know regarding your oral health is that the health of your mouth has a direct impact on the health of your entire body. The entire body is linked by one blood supply. Any infection within your body can pass through your blood stream and infect other areas. Your mouth is no exception to this. Each one of your teeth is an individual living feature, and all of your teeth are surrounded by living gum tissues. Because the mouth is home to millions of bacteria each day, a slight infection inside your mouth can pose risks for your entire body. In fact, gum disease is caused by the buildup of bacteria-laden dental plaque. If the bacteria inside the dental plaque travel into your blood stream they can cause life-threatening consequences such as diabetes, kidney failure, heart disease, and pregnancy loss. So, what does all of this have to do with flossing? Glad you asked! Dental floss is the only tool designed to scrape away dental plaque from the teeth. If you are not scraping away bacteria-laden plaque from your teeth on a daily basis, then you are allowing it to grow and expand within your mouth. Dental plaque can get out of hand very quickly, and when it does it will put in place the first stage of gum disease known as gingivitis. Gingivitis is a treatable form of gum disease, but if it goes untreated it will develop into periodontal disease – which causes irreversible damage to the mouth. It is also important to note that your mouth has its own immune system fighting against the millions of bacteria that call your mouth their home. If your immune system is fighting against an excess number of bacteria, then it has nothing left when it comes to fighting against the infections and damage that they cause. You can floss to boost your entire health. At Springhurst Hills Dentistry, we want to partner with you in proper oral health care. Call us today to schedule an appointment.

Posted on behalf of Dr. Lan Tran, Springhurst Hills Dentistry