Your family dentist in Novi, MI, can help keep your smile healthy

You may be a good brusher, but are you a good flosser too? The truth is, flossing is just as important as brushing. In fact, flossing may even be more important! That’s because plaque and bacteria can hide in between your teeth, causing tooth decay and gum and periodontal disease. Your toothbrush can’t reach in between your teeth, so that’s where flossing comes in.

Dr. Christopher Paulson of Arbor Dental Associates in Novi, MI, offers a wide range of dental services including cosmetic dentistry, sleep apnea treatment, teeth whitening, pediatric dentistry, Invisalign, and implant-supported dentures. He can help keep your smile healthy.

So, what does it take to be a good flosser? You need to floss regularly, and that means at least once each day. Regular flossing is the only way to limit bacteria in between your teeth. This is important because plaque contains millions of microscopic bacteria.

These bacteria combine with the sugar in the foods you eat and create an acid. The acid is strong enough to eat through tough tooth enamel, causing a cavity. The bacteria can also infect your gums, causing gum disease. The infection can spread to the bone that supports your teeth, causing you to lose bone and giving you periodontal disease.

Fortunately, regular flossing can limit bacteria levels so you can maintain a healthy smile. So, when you start flossing, you need to:

• Take about 12 inches of waxed or unwaxed floss
• Wrap it around the index fingers of each hand, leaving about a 2-inch section open
• Slide the open section down in between two teeth, making sure you wrap the floss in a “C” shape around each tooth as you go down in between the teeth
• Slide the floss two or three times up and down each tooth
• Remove the floss and continue on to the next two teeth
• Create a new open section of floss each time you move to new teeth

Flossing can be difficult for young children, people with arthritis, and others who have dexterity issues. Floss picks are an excellent tool you can purchase at any grocery store or pharmacy. They can help you floss and are easy on your hands.

Flossing can make or break your smile, so start now and become a good flosser. To learn more about flossing, oral hygiene, and other dental topics and services, call Dr. Christopher Paulson of Arbor Dental Associates in Novi, MI, at (248) 553-9393. Call now!