Is It Ever Too Late To Start Flossing?Apr 21 2020

While there are a few of us out there that floss the recommended amount of times a day, or even more, most of us floss irregularly at best. In a survey given by the American Dental Association in 2017, it was shown that only 16% of Americans floss the recommended one time a day. 20% said they floss only when they need to, like when something is stuck in between teeth, and 8% claimed they never floss. Some reasons stated for this, was because it takes too much time, it can hurt, and some even said because it was gross. When asked if they ever fib about how much they floss to the dentist, 44% said they did!\ Flossing can feel time consuming when it is added on to already bushing your teeth for two minutes each time. When done right, it can take time, but it’s so worth the extra minute or so.\ What happens when you don’t floss?\ First off, your risk for gum disease and cavities increases. Think about it, when you brush, the toothbrush can only get the outside of the teeth, but the in-between makes up a lot of surface area that isn’t even getting touched. That floss gets the tough to reach spots that bristles simply can’t. Your breath would smell worse if you didn’t floss too! So if you already don’t floss, your breath really is taking a hit. Another affect you may not know could happen is that when food is left in between teeth, your teeth can shift! Those expensive braces you had as a teenager? Those can’t stop your teeth from moving if you give them a reason to!\ Is it too late to start now?\ You may be thinking, “Wow, I really need to change my ways!”, and you are right! Flossing can be done at most stages at life, and continue until you die! It may hurt, like the survey mentioned, but over the course of a few days, that pain should lessen. There may be blood, since your gums are sensitive and there’s a chance of tartar buildup. Just know that the pain and the blood will go away over time. You will see the benefits and feel a clean mouth. Now you don’t have to lie to the Dentist when they ask you about your flossing habits!