Bad breath happens to everyone at some point, but that doesn’t mean that regularly occurring halitosis is normal. It’s tempting to wave it away as something that’s out of your control, but the truth is that bad breath is often completely in your control. There are many ways to combat halitosis, but the best way is to pick up that box of floss and get to work! We know it seems unrelated, but let us show you how this works.
We have to start with the cause of bad breath: bacteria. Bacteria grows in your mouth in every nook and cranny. It’s completely normal, but it still has to be dealt with. You can fight bacteria with brushing, drinking plenty of water, using mouth rinse, and getting a routine dental cleaning, but flossing is the secret weapon when battling those little creatures having a hay day in your mouth.
How Can Floss Help?
When you brush, you only remove about 60% of the bacteria. Just over half of the bacteria are gone, but now you’re left with the other 40% that are hanging out in the nooks and spaces of your teeth. The only way to get to that bacteria is with floss. When you floss, you effectively remove bacteria that is leaving your mouth stinky. Plus, it helps keep your gums free of gingivitis, which can also cause bad breath.
Floss is, all around, the most important tool in your dental toolbox. Even if we’ve replaced all of your natural teeth with implants, you should be flossing those implants to remove the bacteria that causes bad breath! Contact us today if you’re not quite sure how to work that floss, and we’d be more than happy to help you!
