Dr. Donald Marks and Dr. John Martin need your help—not for their sake, but for the sake of your dental and oral health. We take the health of your smile very seriously, so we offer a comprehensive selection of general, restorative and cosmetic dentistry. Nevertheless, we need you to do your part at home with regular oral hygiene. That means brushing your teeth twice each day and flossing at least once a day. Yes, you read that correctly—floss your teeth every day. Flossing is just as important (if not more so some believe) as brushing your teeth.
Some people think that the purpose of flossing is only to remove food particles that become trapped between your teeth. While this is true, it’s not the chief reason flossing is so important. Flossing removes plaque from between your teeth. As you go through your day, plaque—that thin, sticky film you feel especially when you wake up in the morning—accumulates on and between your teeth. Plaque traps the bacteria that can cause gum disease, a chronic condition that may not only negatively affect your oral health, but your overall health, as well. Some of the diseases and illnesses that have been linked to gum disease include stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and pregnancy complications.
To avoid these and other health concerns, our office in State College, PA, would like to offer you the following tips on proper flossing.
- First, cut off about 18 inches of floss. Whether you choose waxed or un-waxed, mint-flavored or unflavored doesn’t matter. Wind most of the floss around the middle finger of one hand and the remainder around your other middle finger.
- Then with your forefingers and thumbs, grasp the floss that is stretched between your middle fingers. Gently move the floss up and down between two teeth, pressing first against one tooth and then the other. Floss along each tooth all the way down to the gum line. Repeat this process with all of your teeth.
- As you move from flossing between one pair of teeth to the next, advance the string of floss. Doing so allows you to use a fresh section of floss between your teeth.
- Be sure to floss between your molars, too. Gum disease and tooth decay occur most often among these teeth, so removing plaque here is doubly important.
Call Our Office Today
We’d be happy to show you how you can get the most out of your at home oral hygiene including flossing at one of your dental checkups. To schedule a checkup or any other dental treatment, please call to schedule an appointment with Dr. Marks or Dr. Martin at our office. Our State College, PA, dental practice welcomes patients from neighboring communities Spring Mills, Centre Hall, Huntingdon, Altoona, Penns Valley, Boalsburg, Lemont, Bellefonte, Lewistown, and Phillipsburg.
