Do I Really Need to Floss?

When you're in a hurry, it can be tempting to skip flossing your teeth. Some people even find the sensation of floss between their teeth unpleasant and wonder whether it's safe to cut it out altogether.

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So, what does flossing do, and do you really need to do it? Here’s how often you need to clean between your teeth.

What Does Flossing Do?

Your toothbrush can't clean the spaces between your teeth. Flossing helps remove food particles and plaque in these hard-to-reach areas.

Plaque is a mixture of food and bacteria that sticks to the teeth. If you don't remove plaque, it can harden to form calculus due to calcium in your saliva. You can't remove calculus from your teeth yourself — you'll need to have your teeth professionally cleaned by a dentist.

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Do You Need to Floss Your Teeth?

According to the National Institutes of Health, you should floss regularly to prevent calculus from forming between your teeth. You may have heard that there's limited evidence to prove the long-term benefits of flossing. However, most studies only measure the short-term effects of flossing, so these results don't show that flossing is ineffective long term.

A 2019 analysis of the evidence for interdental cleaning concluded that the practice may reduce the risk of gum disease compared to brushing alone. As flossing is a quick and affordable way to care for your teeth, you've got nothing to lose by adding it to your oral hygiene routine.

Another question people often ask is whether kids need to floss their teeth. According to the American Dental Association, children should begin flossing as soon as they have two touching teeth. Generally, adults should help children floss their teeth until they're old enough to do it correctly themselves — usually until age 10 or 11.

What Happens If You Don't Floss?

Some people will go their whole lives without flossing without any negative consequences. However, allowing plaque to build up between your teeth can eventually lead to gum inflammation (gingivitis). You can usually reverse gingivitis by having your teeth cleaned at the dentist and taking better care of your oral hygiene by brushing and flossing more thoroughly.

The consequences of not flossing can become more severe when calculus develops between your teeth. Calculus buildup can cause periodontitis, a more serious type of gum inflammation. Often, periodontitis causes the gums to pull away from the roots of the teeth, increasing the risk of bone and gum loss. Damage to the tissues holding your teeth in place can eventually cause tooth loss.

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How Often Should You Floss Your Teeth?

The ADA recommends flossing your teeth once per day. It doesn't matter whether you floss in the morning or evening, so you can choose a time that suits your schedule. According to the ADA, brushing before you floss, or vice versa, is equally effective.

How Do I Floss Correctly?

Before flossing, break off an 18-inch strip of ADA-approved dental floss and wind the ends around your middle fingers. Grip the floss between your thumbs and fingers, holding the length taut. Gently push the floss between your teeth using a back-and-forth motion until you reach the gum line.

Next, pull the floss sideways so that it curves against one tooth and gently rub it up and down to remove any built-up plaque. Repeat this step against the other tooth, and then, carefully remove the floss.

You should follow this routine between each tooth, including the teeth at the back of your mouth. Flossing too hard can damage your gums and cause bleeding, so it's important to avoid pushing the floss sharply against your gums. Use fresh floss each time — rinsing and reusing floss isn't as effective.

What If I Hate Flossing?

If you really can't bear the sensation of flossing, there are effective alternatives. You can use an interdental brush to clean between your teeth.

You may have noticed devices such as interdental sticks or water irrigators marketed as an alternative to flossing. However, there isn't enough evidence to determine whether these cleaning tools are effective. The existing research is inconsistent, so you're better off relying on regular dental floss or interdental brushes unless your dentist advises otherwise.