Periodontist on Chicago, along with the entire periodontal community, strongly recommends daily flossing for healthier teeth and gums.  Though nearly all Americans brush their teeth, the American Dental Association estimated that only 12% of Americans floss their teeth on a daily basis. According to research, in spite of the widespread beneficial effects of dental flossing, almost half of the general population does not floss their teeth.
The American Academy of Periodontology stated that including flossing in your oral care can significantly prevent the buildup of the bacteria – containing dental plaques that cause gum disease, tooth decay and tooth loss. Once the bacteria gain access to blood circulation, the risk for the development of systemic diseases increases.
To assess the effects of dental flossing, 51 sets of twins between 12 and 21 years were included in a two – week treatment regimen. One twin was asked to brush his/her teeth using a manual toothbrush, whereas the other twin was required to floss the teeth, in addition to brushing. Twins have similar genetic make ups and are more likely exposed to similar environments with the same dietary habits and lifestyle. The researchers thought that this is an accurate way to determine the valuable effects of flossing in maintaining oral health.
The findings of the study indicated that the twins from the group that did not floss have overabundance of periodontal bacteria compared to the group that brushed and flossed their teeth. From these results, the integral role of regular flossing in maintaining oral health is established.
Flossing, if done inaccurately, can result in more damage than benefits. Improper flossing can result in gum or teeth trauma, subsequently, increasing your chances of gum disease. To maximize the beneficial effects of flossing, you can utilize the following healthy tips:
1.  Determine the best type of floss. There are many types of dental floss that you can avail of but choosing the one that meets the needs of your teeth and situation is one of the most important steps that you have to take. It is recommended to choose a dental floss that contains fluoride.
2. Before brushing, measure an arms length of floss, around 18 inches. Start by winding most of the floss around your pointer finger and thumb. Leave one to two inches of floss to work with.
3.  In a sawing motion, gently floss in between your teeth. Ensure that you do not snap the floss as this can result in gum damage.
4.  Position the floss around the base of each tooth so that it embraces it in a C shape. As you floss up and down the tooth’s surface, ensure that your floss reaches the area below the gum line.
5.  Floss all the upper and lower teeth. It is suggested to begin with the upper molars the left side and ending at the left lower molars.
6.  Use clean areas of floss as you move from one tooth to another.
7.  After flossing, brush your teeth and rinse with water.

Periodontist on Chicago agrees that regular flossing can make a lot of difference in your oral health. Thus, aside from brushing, you must learn the correct techniques in dental flossing.
To maintain healthy gums and teeth, visit Dr. Marcus on the web at http://michaelmarcusdds.com or you can contact him at (321)263-6898. Dr. Marcus is not a periodontist in Chicago but highly qualified general dentist that treats gum diseases with a laser, and not a scalpel.

Tags: chicago gum disease, chicago periodontist disease, Periodontist Chicago

This entry was posted on Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 6:25 pm and is filed under Bleeding Gums Chicago, Chicago Periodontist, Periodontist Chicago. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.