Most people will admit that they don’t floss their teeth on a regular daily basis. We know because we ask….every time! Yet, people feel guilty because they don’t floss often enough. On the top 10 list of hygiene habits people hate to do, flossing ranks at the top. Nobody knows for sure why people hate to floss. Complaints we often hear include: it is too tedious, it’s too difficult to do, and it hurts. Each of these can easily be remedied with the help of a good hygienist.
On the flip side, people who do floss daily say they would never turn the clock back and go a day without flossing. We can say with certainty that the more often you floss, the better odds that it will become a habit. And when it’s a habit, you won’t be able to tolerate it when you can’t floss. Our best advice is: make friends with your floss. That’s right, you heard it correctly…make friends. It may become the next fountain of youth. Flossing on a regular basis can make your “real age” as much as 6 years younger. To prevent unnecessary aging we recommend you do the things that you already know you should be doing including brushing your teeth, and going to the dentist at least twice a year. Keep flossing, because every time you do, you are making yourself look younger.
A thorough tooth brushing is very important, but brushing cannot and will not get the plaque that gets between your teeth and gums. Forty percent of the cleaning work on your teeth and gums is done when you floss. An enduring misconception that surrounds floss is that its main purpose is to remove uncomfortable pieces of food stuck between the teeth. But it really has a much more important purpose. Floss cleans in between each tooth and below the gum line. It removes trapped food and eliminates possible breeding areas for bacteria.
The more you floss, the less your chances of developing gum and bone disease. Research has linked gum disease to other systemic diseases, and studies suggest that gum disease may pose a significant health risk. We know for certain, however, that gum and bone disease, when left untreated, can cause bone loss as well as tooth loss. But this can easily be prevented, if you resolve to take 3 simple, important action steps:
1. Get regular dental check-ups
2. Get regular professional cleanings
3. Brush and floss daily

It only takes 26 days to create a new habit, if you haven’t already make today day 1.