Find out why your dentist keeps telling you to floss. It's extremely important for dental health!

1. WHY FLOSSING YOUR TEETH
IS AS IMPORTANT AS YOUR
DENTIST TELLS YOU... By
Craig Barney
www.kennewickdental.net
DR. CRAIG BARNEY

2. GUM HEALTH AND GINGIVITIS
Flossing at least once a day and brushing will
clean your teeth more effectively than just
brushing alone. Because failing to floss will
lead to a build-up of tartar and plaque, it can
eventually also lead to gingivitis.
When gingivitis is left unchecked, infection can
spread even further below the gums. This
causes periodontitis, which causes severe
inflammation and tooth and bone loss.
www.kennewickdental.net
DR. CRAIG BARNEY

3. SAVE YOURSELF MONEY
That’s right, flossing saves you money. That’s
because it’s a kind of preventative medicine.
As already mentioned, it can help prevent gum
disease, which can be costly to remedy. But it
also helps prevent cavities.
www.kennewickdental.net
DR. CRAIG BARNEY

4. HALITOSIS
Halitosis, which is the medical name for bad
breath, can be caused by a variety of things,
but usually bacteria below the gum line and on
the back of the tongue is responsible.
Whenever you don’t floss, you’re creating a
great place for bacteria to continue to grow.
Bad breath can really hold back your social life,
and in some people even cause social anxiety
or depression.
www.kennewickdental.net
DR. CRAIG BARNEY

5. REDUCING THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE
People who suffer from heart disease should
be vigilant about flossing, because the mouth
can be an entry point for bacteria that can
reach and infect the cardiac tissue.
The bacteria streptococcus can enter the body
through the oral cavity, and can cause infective
endocarditis, a disease characterized by
inflammation of the heart.
www.kennewickdental.net
DR. CRAIG BARNEY

6. PREVENTING DIABETES COMPLICATIONS
According to studies done by the Mayo Clinic,
people with Type 2 diabetes are three times
more likely to develop gingivitis than people
who don’t have diabetes.
This is likely due to having higher blood sugar,
which provides more food for any bacteria
inside your mouth. This puts you at a higher
risk, not only for gum diseases like gingivitis
and periodontitis, but also for getting cavities.
www.kennewickdental.net
DR. CRAIG BARNEY