The Importance of Dental Flossing

 

Cr pic: womenshealthmag.com

National Health Research data from 2018 shows that the periodontitis rate in Indonesia reaches 74.1% (KEMENKES, 2018). This disorder is caused by poor oral and dental hygiene, as a result there is accumulation of plaque and calculus on the teeth. Dental plaque is recognized as the main agent for the development of dental caries, gingivitis, and periodontal disease. This article will discuss about; 1. Brushing teeth is not enough to clean entire surfaces, 2. Flossing after brushing teeth can reduce plaque index, 3. Fact about people with regularly have dental flossing.

Brushing teeth is the method most commonly used to be able to clean the entire surface of the teeth. However, the fact shows that brushing only is not enough to clean the entire surface of the teeth (Maghfiroh, 2014).  To remove plaque from the teeth we need mechanical cleaning that can clean the entire surface of the teeth. The use of dental floss after brushing teeth is effective for cleaning the entire surface of the tooth to the small area that is difficult to reach by the toothbrush.

Based on the results of research conducted by Maghfiroh (2014) shows that brushing teeth with flossing can reduce the plaque index by more than 50%. At least there are more than 500 types of bacteria found in the mouth. That is why it is important to make it as a habit for cleaning your teeth with a toothbrush and dental floss. So the food residue that still attached on your theeth does not become a proliferate area for bacteria that can cause tooth and mouth disease.

People who floss regularly have a lower risk of developing tooth and gum problems than people who never floss. This can occur because the use of dental floss is able to prevent the formation of plaque and tartar, so that the risk of bad breath, tooth decay, and gingivitis or periodontitis can be suppressed.

From the explanation above, we can conclude that routine use of dental floss after brushing teeth is an option to be able to clean plaque more thoroughly, so that teeth can be avoided from calculus which is a factor that causes bad breath, tooth decay and periodontium tissue disorders. So, it is important for parents to habituated their children to use dental flossing at an early age.