"Floss Only The Teeth That…...

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"Floss Only The Teeth That…...

... you want to keep!"

In reality, that statement is more serious than it is sarcastic, especially if you have permanent teeth. Flossing helps to remove the constantly-forming dental plaque from the two surfaces of a tooth (between the teeth) where the toothbrush can't reach.

Toothbrushing helps to remove plaque from the remaining, easily accessible three side of a tooth (the cheek or lip side, the tongue side, and the biting or chewing side). Flossing and brushing perfectly complement each other to significantly reduce the plaque/biofilm around the whole mouth. The author recommends that you floss first, then brush, then finish with an enamel remineralizing rinse.

Before one flosses, it is recommended at he or she wash the hands thoroughly, maybe even two times, the first time to get the hand’s surface oils off, and the second time to actually remove bacteria, other microbes, and deeper debris. Or just use gloves. But remember that frequent hand washing is a good preventive measure anyway.

Food left between teeth gets degraded by the millions of bacteria there and can cause a "rotten food" smell of the breath (from the sulfur-containing bacterial end products produced). Acids are also produced by some of the bacteria.

Those acids can work to remove minerals from the between teeth areas, which, if not replaced by remineralization, may eventually lead to cavities being formed between teeth, and gum irritation, leading to gingivitis (red and swollen gums). If plaque is not removed from the teeth regularly, at least once a day, it can harden by crystallizing into tartar (calculus).

The presence of tartar above, at, and especially, under the gums can accelerate the loss of bone which holds the teeth in place, a condition called periodontitis, or gum disease. Bacteria can enter the blood stream through diseased gums and spread to other parts of the body wreaking havoc.

So, in a way, collecting frequent flosser miles regularly, can save your life!

May you have many…flossed-up and ready, can you believe that some bikinis are made of this, everybody had bad breath before floss came out… smiles!