I don't floss?

Question

Like, ever. So far my teeth aren't falling out of my mouth, but I'm only 23. Is this a serious problem I should correct immediately? or just a little somthin I should work on?

Answer 1

Floss at least once every 48 hours. It's better to do it every day, though. Periodontal disease causes irreversible damage, so don't wait until you're 50. Takes 60 seconds. That's all!

Answer 2

Yes, it is quite important to floss as I have personal experience as someone who used to have so many more cavities (holes) that had to be filled. I use Glide Plus mint floss which is a dollar or more expensive than the others, but it does not shred and my mouth feels so much more fresh afterwards. I believe that Target sells it less expensive. My hygienist notices that I floss as well :) Please feel free to ask your hygienist or dentist for pointers.

And just fyi, when I floss, I take a pretty long piece and (gently) wind it around the finger, and start with my four back teeth and then move to the next molar and so on. It becomes second nature after awhile, and I do rinse out every few teeth as if at dentist office ;)

Answer 3

I used to work at a dental office and my boss would tell me flossing is very important and he would give me free samples of floss all the time. I would tell him I hate to floss and he said .."well do you put on deodorant everyday" and I said yes and he said “well why not floss everyday” LOL I thought that was funny but anyway flossing is very important and can save your teeth later in life so you don’t have to wear dentures. So the answer is Yes it can be a serious problem later and you should correct it immediately :)

Besides flossing can be fun sometimes :)
check out the link i sent below!

Answer 4

We have a saying in Dr. Joe's office: "You should only floss the teeth you want to keep."

Periodontal Disease is a "quiet" disease, it slowly gets worse usually without pain, so a patient is not aware of how bad it's getting. Then the bleeding gums start, recession, and then mobility. Periodontal Disease starts to hurt bad when a patient can't eat without pain because when they chew, their teeth move.

Even seeing a dental hygienist twice a year is not enough, if your home care is not regular and healthy.

Other things to consider all related to Periodontal Disease: Diabetes, Heart Disease, low birth weight in babies, and more recently Pancreatic Cancer.

Flossing is something that is simple to do, to save your teeth and your life.

Answer 5

Flossing gets the plaque and food where a tooth brush can not reach, and prevents decay or cavaties from forming inbetween your teeth. Alot of people do not floss because they say that it hurts or causes your gums to bleed. Once you get into the routine of flossing, your gums will not bleed or hurt, and that is a sign that your gums are healthy. I would suggest getting into the routine of flossing, it will make your teeth and gums alot healthier and save you a toothache or cavaties......happy brushing and flossing!!!

Answer 6

It's VERY important to floss!!! A dentist will tell you it's almost more important then brushing! I would make you sure brush 2-3 times a day and floss at least once if not twice!!! And using listerine helps!!! Don't forget to visit your dentist every 6 months for your cleanings!!!!

Answer 7

Bad teeth can make you sick!

Not only is flossing essential for good oral hygiene, which can help prevent periodontal disease (aka gum disease), it can also reduce the risk of much more serious threats to your health.

Need proof? Among people with gum disease, the risk for heart disease is increased twofold and the risk of stroke is increased threefold. What's more, periodontal disease can interfere with the control of blood sugar in those who have diabetes and it can increase a person's risk of certain types of respiratory infections. In periodontal disease, she has two to 10 times the risk of delivering her baby prematurely. People who don't have good oral hygiene have a greater risk of having these oral organisms get into the bloodstream and travel to other areas of the body where they can cause harm, notes Steven Offenbacher, D.D.S., Ph.D., professor and director of the Center for Oral and Systemic Diseases, University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill.

Answer 8

I don't either. But it does clean areas where a toothbrush doesn't reach and thus can help with dental health. We should both floss. Oh, well.

Answer 9

dude im your age and i dont floss either, whenever i get $hit stuck in my mouth i just use a tooth pick!! i have tryed to floss b4 cause i know its good for ya, but my gums bleed when i try,ill worry when im 50 for that

Answer 10

do you know what the plaque is between your teeth? it is bacteria pooping. that is what it is made of. read this, then you'll want to floss.

http://www.dentist.net/glide-travel.asp

What causes bad breath?

85 to 90% of bad breath (halitosis) is caused by oral bacteria. Some bad breath has medical causes, which is why, if you have halitosis, it's a good idea to first check with a doctor. But for the vast majority of people with bad breath, bacteria are the culprit.

Bacteria in order to live, must consume food. And, along with that, they excrete wastes.

When bacteria live in your mouth, the food they eat is the food you eat. When food remains in the mouth for an extended period, they eat quite a bit. If you brush right after eating, and if you confine your eating to mealtimes, you'll greatly reduce their food intake and will fight bad breath.

The waste produced by many oral bacteria consists of sulfur compounds. Sulfur compounds are notoriously smelly (hydrogen sulfide is the notorious "rotten egg" smell). So it's fairly easy to see that oral bacteria are the culprit.

A list of the smelly sulfur compounds excreted as waste products by the bacteria that live in your mouth: Hydrogen sulfide is one waste product of oral bacteria.

Another is methyl mercaptan, which is the stinky odor emanating from barnyards and feed lots.

Another oral bacteria waste product is dimethyl sulfide, which is also associated with brackish ocean water.

These bacterial waste products are called "volatile sulfur compounds," or VSCs. The word volatile means that they easily turn into gasses, which, of course, is required for us to smell them.

There are some other bacterial waste products besides volatile sulfur compounds that contribute to odor. Here is a list of some of them: Putrescine -produced by decaying meat.

Skatole - present in human feces.

Isovaleric Acid - produced by sweaty feet.

Cadaverine - the compound responsible for the smell of corpses.

Everyone has traces of these compounds in their breath. Usually the amounts are low enough so they aren't detected. But, as levels of these compounds rise, they can definitely become obnoxious.

Of the list above, putrescine, methyl mercaptan, hydrogen sulfide, and skatole are waste products of anaerobic bacteria. These bacteria prefer environments that have little or no oxygen. Too much oxygen may kill these bacteria.

It isn't practical or desirable to eliminate all the bacteria that grow in your mouth. Many of them are beneficial. What's important is that you keep a healthy balance of bacteria and minimize the numbers of odor-causing bacteria.

To minimize these bacteria, you can minimize anaerobic conditions in your mouth. Plaque, the thin, bacteria-laden film that grows on your teeth and also on your tongue, can protect the underlying bacteria from oxygen. The more plaque buildup you have, the more favorable environment your mouth is going to provide for these odor-causing bacteria. Oxygen, in this case, is a helpful disinfectant. Keep your mouth clean, and you permit oxygen to reach all the surfaces where bacteria can live and keep anaerobic, odor-causing bacteria to a minimum.

What foods promote bad breath?

The sulfur-containing compounds excreted by odor-causing bacteria are generally waste products of bacteria that are digesting proteins. Thus, as you consume high-protein foods, you are helping to create bad breath. Especially as you neglect to brush and floss, you help feed these bacteria for extended periods and thus will aggravate the odor in your mouth.

High protein foods that tend to lead to halitosis: Meat

Seafood

Eggs

Dairy foods

Nuts

Peas and beans

Cereal grains

High-protein foods have become more popular recently because of weight-control diets such as the Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet. Maybe the most sensible policy is to eat a normal, balanced diet, with adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fats and oils.

Where do bad breath bacteria live?

These bacteria can live anywhere in your mouth. But their favorite environment is the tongue, with its deep crevices and papillae, especially the back of the tongue, which is somewhat protected. The crevices around and between the teeth also provide a protected area. So cleaning your tongue and the crevices around your teeth is an important aid to cure bad breath. If you have a tartar buildup, this also provides a hiding place for bacteria. This needs to be removed professionally.

Do you have bad breath? You're so close to it and you're probably used to the smell. Get an honest friend or perhaps a dental professional to answer the question for you.