{"id":559,"date":"2020-03-11T16:53:21","date_gmt":"2020-03-11T16:53:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.longfamilydental.com\/blog\/?p=559"},"modified":"2025-02-20T18:40:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T18:40:15","slug":"flossing-how-it-benefits-you-explained-by-a-dentist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.longfamilydental.com\/blog\/2020\/03\/11\/flossing-how-it-benefits-you-explained-by-a-dentist\/","title":{"rendered":"Flossing Does More Than Remove Food! A Dentist Explains Its Many Benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Smiling<\/a>After eating an orange or a stringy piece of meat, the first thing you may think is, \u201cI need to floss!\u201d But while it\u2019s certainly a great way to remove food between your teeth, flossing is incredibly important for many other reasons. In fact, even people who do a great job brushing their teeth can still run into problems if they don\u2019t floss consistently. Read on to learn more about flossing and why it\u2019s so necessary for your oral health!<\/p>\n

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Why Brushing Your Teeth Isn\u2019t Enough<\/h2>\n

Plaque and tartar are largely made of bacteria that account for many dental problems. Plaque is a soft, sticky consistency, so it can be removed with your toothbrush and floss. But if it\u2019s not removed early enough, it hardens into cement-like deposits of tartar that can only be removed by a professional.<\/p>\n

Brushing your teeth, even if you\u2019re very thorough, only removes about 2\/3 of plaque because the bristles simply can\u2019t reach the surface area between your teeth and under your gumline. But floss can<\/em> reach these areas, which is why it\u2019s necessary to remove the other 1\/3 of the plaque in your mouth before it causes problems.<\/p>\n

The Importance of Flossing For a Healthy Smile<\/h2>\n

Here are the benefits you can expect from regular flossing:<\/p>\n