If you don't floss and you develop gum disease, your teeth can become loose, fall out, or even need to be removed by your dentist. By flossing daily, you remove the plaque build-up and bacteria that infect your gums, teeth, and bones, and reduce your risk of tooth loss significantly.
Going a couple of days without flossing will cause plaque build-up. Over time, the plaque begins to harden and turn into tartar—this can only be removed by your dentist. Without flossing on a daily basis, it can result in cavities between the teeth and potentially gum disease.
Even if you've gone your whole life without flossing, it's never too late to start and give your teeth the thorough clean they deserve. Many people don't begin flossing until their dentist recommends it to help manage an oral health problem. Once they're used to it, it can become part of their normal routine.
Avoiding flossing can lead to: Gum disease: if you don't remove food particles and plaque from between your teeth, it creates a breeding ground for the bacteria that lead to gum disease. And gum disease is a significant factor in tooth loss. Bleeding gums often come from a buildup of plaque at the gumline.
While the white lie may seem harmless, the consequences of not flossing regularly are not. Someone who doesn't floss regularly (or at all) may increase their risk of red, bleeding, or inflamed gums, decay where their teeth touch (contact area cavities), or gum disease.
If you're not flossing regularly, your dentist will likely be able to tell by looking at your teeth and gums. They may also ask you questions about your oral care routine to better understand how often you're actually flossing.
The most common cause of halitosis is poor oral hygiene. Without proper oral hygiene — like brushing, flossing and routine dental cleanings — harmful bacteria invade your mouth and multiply out of control.
However, the majority of adults, about 68%, reported flossing at least once weekly. While the Delta Dental national public opinion poll of 1,003 adults found that 20% of Americans never floss [13], this study found that 32% of adults reported no flossing in the past week.
When you don't floss, plaque builds up between your teeth and gums. This can cause gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease. Gingivitis causes your gums to become red, swollen, irritated, and easily bleed when you brush.
The plaque will gradually build up if people do not floss their teeth. Food particles will accumulate between the teeth. Germs and sticky bacteria in film form, known as plaque, will thrive. Plaque can build up to the point that it not only looks quite unsightly but also causes other health issues to boot.
If flossing isn't done, plaque and tartar can build up. And, if plaque and tartar buildup is left unchecked, this could lead to cavities and gum disease. And despite the fact that gum disease and tooth loss are more common in adults over age 65, gum disease and tooth loss can occur much earlier.
The Ideal Answer: Once a Day
Flossing is valuable because it eliminates foodstuffs from those hard-to-reach places between your teeth. Bacteria use morsels of food like this as fuel to attack and damage enamel. This also causes irritation of the gums that can develop into gingivitis or full-blown gum disease.
Even though mouthwash can freshen your breath, it fails to remove oral bacteria, buildup, and food particles mechanically. Good oral hygiene and healthy teeth and gums require the removal of these harmful substances, which can be done by brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily.
Also, 73% of the 1,700 patients surveyed said flosses, picks, and other tools are difficult to maneuver, and 92% of them would floss more if it was easier. The oral healthcare company noted that these difficulties often can discourage people from taking care of their teeth.
Plaque and Tartar Buildup
After two weeks of not flossing, plaque and tartar will start to accumulate between your teeth. Brushing cleans the surface but cannot go in between teeth – that's where flossing proves to be essential. Plaque and tartar create a sticky, bacteria-laden, acidic film.
Be sure to get between each pair of teeth thoroughly. However, an average time frame is about 2 to 3 minutes, based on a normal adult mouth of 28 teeth. Combined with the recommended 2 minutes for brushing, about 5 minutes twice a day is all you need to maintain your oral health.
Back teeth are more difficult to reach but every person can find a solution that works. If it is very difficult to reach then using an air or water flosser for the back teeth only is another option. Even a professional hygienist will struggle to reach back, molar or wisdom teeth occasionally.
Gingivitis can cause dusky red, swollen, tender gums that bleed easily, especially when you brush your teeth. Healthy gums are firm and pale pink and fitted tightly around the teeth. Signs and symptoms of gingivitis include: Swollen or puffy gums.
While it may be surprising, a study has found that flossing first followed by brushing with a fluoride toothpaste is more effective in removing interdental plaque than brushing first, flossing second. In addition, flossing before brushing results in greater fluoride retention between teeth.
For instance, an analysis of 12 well-controlled studies found that flossing plus toothbrushing reduced mild gum disease, or gingivitis, significantly better than toothbrushing alone. These same studies reported that flossing plus brushing might reduce plaque after 1 or 3 months better than just brushing.
Most people prefer to floss their teeth in the privacy of their bathroom, but this is not always possible. You may be in a public place without access to privacy, or you could be riding in an airplane or some other form of public transportation.
Gum disease
The bacteria growing below the gum line (sub-gingival dental plaque) have a foul smell and contribute to bad breath if not removed. Signs that you have gum disease are bleeding on brushing or flossing, inflamed looking gums, bad breath. A simple test is to floss deeply around a back tooth.
Body odor is caused by a mix of bacteria and sweat on your skin. Your body odor can change due to hormones, the food you eat, infection, medications or underlying conditions like diabetes. Prescription-strength antiperspirants or medications may help.
Mouth infections can cause bad breath. However, if your dentist has ruled out other causes and you brush and floss every day, your bad breath could be the result of another problem, such as a sinus condition, gastric reflux, diabetes, liver or kidney disease. In this case, see your healthcare provider.