Recently, a news piece came out regarding the "unproven" effects of flossing. The news article might as well have used profanity because that's how offensive that statement is to those of us in the dental profession. LOL When patients ask me about the importance of flossing, I always tell them to only floss the teeth they want to keep! Hopefully, that would be all of them. There seems to be a disconnect between people's perception of the importance of their teeth to their overall health. Too many times over the years I've heard people say, "I'll just have all of my teeth pulled." I cannot fathom that idea. That's like saying your hand has a problem, instead of trying to care for it and rehabilitate it you will just have it amputated. Yes, a prosthetic device can be worn (dentures) but it will NEVER be the same. Dentures are a new set of problems. Having false teeth affects not only how you look, but also the proper digestion of food and even the foods you can eat.
I can't tell you how many times over the years I've heard people tell me, "I wish I'd taken better care of my teeth." Once your jaw bone starts rotting in your mouth, it's truly a struggle for the rest of your life to keep your teeth. You've heard the old adage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. My advice would be to brush twice daily with an electric toothbrush, floss at least once per day and if you have pockets over 4 mm the use of a waterpik or rubber tip is highly recommended. Of course, with any dental routine Simply Silver Mouthwash should be used as an adjunct to a healthy mouth. I don't know about you, but when someone has DEATH breath I want to duck and run so don't let that be you. Incorporate a healthy diet along with good oral care habits and enjoy a healthy mouth, not a dying one.
~Heather the Hygienist