That’s great that you’ve got your toothbrush working twice a day. If your teeth could thank you, they would. Of course, that leads us to flossing. Wait! Before you the tab on your browser in disgust, let me make the case for the much-loathed act of flossing. Teeth typically have surfaces that make close contact with their neighbours. Your toothbrush bristles never make it into those tight quarters. Consider there are usually 26 contact points in a person’s mouth, that makes 26 areas that get missed even after a good brush. Are you surprised to know that these are also the most common spots we find tooth decay? Of course you aren’t. The plaque left behind in those areas contains streptococcus mutans (aka the bad bacteria). If left undisturbed long enough, those bugs will make like a gopher on a golf course and start to burrow. So sweep away the gunk with floss. When you hear the satisfying ‘snap’ as it goes between your teeth, envision the evil little microbes running for their lives. Then nod knowingly to yourself in the mirror. You are preventing tooth decay.
top of page
bottom of page