Spotlight Magazines Spotlight on West Bridgford Nottingham July 2015 | Page 22

Spotlight Magazine Why Floss You might clean your teeth religiously twice a day and feel that you are doing all you can to keep your gnashers looking and feeling clean and fresh, but if you fail to include flossing as part of your daily dental routine, you are only doing just over half the job. Every tooth has five surfaces, and brushing only gets to three of them (the top/bottom, back and front). If you don’t floss, it leaves the two side surfaces unclean and potentially subject to disease. Food and sticky bacteria, commonly known as plaque, lodge in the space between teeth. If left, plaque generates acid which can cause cavities, irritate gums and eventually lead to gum disease. 22 Gum disease isn’t pretty. It eats away at gums and teeth and in advanced forms even attacks the bones that support the teeth and the lower third of the face. Floss is the only thing that can get into the space between teeth to remove these harmful bacteria. If done before brushing, flossing can expose a larger area for the fluoride in the toothpaste to act upon. The best way to care for your teeth is to combine plaque removal through flossing and brushing with chemical cleaning via toothpaste and mouth wash. www.spotlightlocal.co.uk • 0115 822 4995 • [email protected]