{"id":1566,"date":"2015-07-08T01:58:00","date_gmt":"2015-07-08T01:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dentalassociatesofdelaware.com\/?p=1566"},"modified":"2026-06-03T16:46:27","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T20:46:27","slug":"what-the-floss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dentalassociatesofdelaware.com\/blog\/what-the-floss\/","title":{"rendered":"What the Floss?!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When paying a visit to the dentist, without fail you are customarily asked some version of the question, \u201cHave you been flossing regularly?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re like most people, the answer that follows is typically a \u201cNo,\u201d paired with a good-intentioned, but hollow promise to try and do better the next time. This, alas, is the norm attitude a great deal of people have towards flossing. They consider it a burdensome addition to their routine with effects so inconsequential that they feel no shame over excluding it. The truth, however, is that this is not so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Flossing actually plays a very crucial role in a person\u2019s dental health \u2013 acting as the all-important interdental cleaner that a healthy mouth requires. You see, while a toothbrush cleans the tops and outer surfaces of teeth and gums, as an interdental cleaner, flossing is what services the tight spaces that teeth have between each other, and the gums. Flossing not only kills the plaque-forming bacteria that builds up there, it also does what anti-bacterial mouthwash can\u2019t and removes tartar and well-tucked away bits of food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do not floss, bacteria and tiny food particles lodged over time will create plaque that hardens into thickly tartar, which can only be removed by a dentist via scrapers. Moreover, if left untreated, this tartar can cause gingivitis<\/a> \u2013 a red, swollen gum disorder that is the first stage of gum disease \u2013 or even periodontitis, which leads to tooth loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, flossing is an important part of proper dental care that aids the efforts of regular brushing. \u201cThink of floss and a toothbrush as a detail paintbrush and paint roller, respectively. You could paint your living room walls with just one of the tools, but using them together will provide a much more satisfactory result,\u201d (ADA<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, next time you go see your dentist, make it a goal to truthfully be able to tell them that you have been flossing regularly. The result won\u2019t just make them happy; the healthy, beautiful Delaware smile you achieve from flossing will make you happy too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When paying a visit to the dentist, without fail you are customarily asked some version of the question, \u201cHave you been flossing regularly?\u201d If you\u2019re like most people, the answer that follows is typically a \u201cNo,\u201d paired with a good-intentioned, but hollow promise to try and do better the next time. This, alas, is the norm attitude a great deal of people have towards flossing. They consider it a burdensome addition to their routine with effects so inconsequential that they feel no shame over excluding it. The truth, however, is that this is not so. (Read More)<\/a>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[68,34],"class_list":["post-1566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-preventative-dental-care","tag-floss","tag-preventative-dental-care"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat the Floss?! - Dental Associates of Delaware Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dentalassociatesofdelaware.com\/blog\/what-the-floss\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What the Floss?! - Dental Associates of Delaware Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When paying a visit to the dentist, without fail you are customarily asked some version of the question, \u201cHave you been flossing regularly?\u201d If you\u2019re like most people, the answer that follows is typically a \u201cNo,\u201d paired with a good-intentioned, but hollow promise to try and do better the next time. 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