The Benefits
of Flossing
Flossing
helps to prevent periodontal disease and
gingivitis. Harvard Medical School
researchers found that flossing removes
bacteria and plaque from the teeth and
gums, the same plaque which is absorbed
into the blood stream and can clog
arteries and veins. Another study found
that men with periodontitis had a
startling 70% greater risk of developing
coronary disease, while a case of
gingivitis meant a 40% increase.
One of the first things I notice about
anyone I meet is their smile. Whenever I
observe someone with clean, white teeth
and healthy, red gums I automatically
assume they are at least a fairly
healthy individual. On the other hand,
when I see someone with that looks like
they haven’t brushed their teeth in a
decade I assume lots, and not much of my
assumptions are positive. I know it
isn’t right to judge, but when it comes
to oral health we say a lot about
ourselves without ever saying anything
at all.
Imagine your body as homes. Once mold,
(plaque from the food we eat), enters
through an open window on a rainy day,
it can eventually be blown through the
air conditioning vents to every room of
the house. If anyone has ever had mold
damage to their home, it can mean total
demolition and rebuilding the home from
the ground up. Plaque does the same
thing, it can enter through your gums
and then cross the soft tissue barrier
and flow throughout your bloodstream and
into the arteries in your heart.
Flossing after meals, especially after
your last meal of the day, will help you
become healthier in a number of ways.
Flossing cleans any residual food
particles from your mouth, which
eliminates the taste from your taste
buds (and subconscious).
To test this philosophy, try flossing
and brushing after dessert and then
revisit the pastry tray, it just doesn’t
have the same attraction. It’s like
taking a shower and then rolling around
in the dirt, it just doesn’t make sense.
Secondly, it releases the pressure from
little particles of food that are stuck
in between your teeth and gums. It’s
like pulling 4 or 5 pebbles out of your
running shoes, the relief is
instantaneous. I can‘t even think about
going to bed at night until I’ve
flossed, I can literally feel the food
stuck in my teeth and there’s no way I’m
getting peaceful rest until I get it
out.
Then there is the halitosis factor.
Rotten food smells bad. It can smell so
bad that it impels us to make a special
trip to an outdoor dumpster in extremely
cold weather at all times of the night.
So consider what “leaving the trash”
behind does for your breath?
Flossing does for your teeth what
vacuuming in between the seats, after a
one week road trip with toddlers, does
for your car. It gets the cheerios,
french fries and pacifiers from
collecting dust and stinking up your
ride.
A smile is a terrible thing to waste, so
be good to your teeth, your gums, your
heart and your kissing partner and make
your mouth as clean as possible.
Written by
DanielCrouch, True Balance Health
and Wellness
Personal Trainer & Wellness
Guide.