What Are Flossing Cavities?

Oral health has a significant impact on your life. Whether you know it or not, the health of your mouth is a huge indicator of the health of many other areas in your body. With that vital connection, it is important that you are aware of how well you clean your teeth.

Many people will tell you that they care about their teeth. Yet when they are asked by the dentist how often they floss, most people often admit that they rarely or never floss. To genuinely care about your teeth, you need to make sure that you are doing everything you can to keep them clean.

Brushing the teeth is most certainly important, and rinsing your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash can be helpful. However, if you are not flossing your teeth every day, you are missing a huge component of your oral health. Every tooth has four sides, an upper surface area, and a root that sits within the jawbone. Brushing your teeth cleans the upper surfaces and the fronts and backs of each tooth, but flossing is the only means of cleaning between the teeth.

Flossing cavities, also referred to as interproximal cavities, occur between the teeth. They get the informal name “flossing cavities” because they are almost 100% preventable by flossing regularly. Inside your mouth, live millions of oral bacteria. These bacteria are present to help break down particles left behind after eating and drinking. While these bacteria mean to be helpful, they become harmful when they linger on the teeth for too long. You see, bacteria create acids to help them break down food particles. If acids are allowed to fester on your teeth, they begin to attack the tooth enamel and cause cavities. When acid-producing bacteria are allowed to remain in the spaces between the teeth, these spaces are incredibly vulnerable to attack and decay. Flossing cavities are directly related to bacteria-laden plaque damaging the teeth.

If you have never been an avid flosser, now is the time to add flossing to your daily routine. Flossing takes approximately one minute of your day, yet its benefits are far-reaching. Contact Ora Dentistry today to learn more about the importance of flossing and tricks for how to floss with precision.