What happens when you don’t floss? The effects of not flossing pretty scary, but if you don’t floss regularly then you probably need to keep reading to scare yourself into flossing.
According to an ADA survey, less than half of Americans floss every day, and 10 percent of Americans report that they never floss. Here’s what will happen to those people who don’t floss, ranging from minor cosmetic effects to potentially life-threatening health problems.
Halitosis
Food particles that inevitably become trapped in between your teeth from not flossing every day will start to decay and cause halitosis, or bad breath. Gross!
Yellow teeth
When you don’t floss, much of the bacteria left behind even after you brush remains, forming a film that turns into an unsightly, yellow plaque. Like body odor and bad breath, yellow teeth can make a bad impression on other people, especially in dating situations.
Cavities
Each of your teeth has five exposed surfaces: a front, a back, a top or bottom, and two sides. When you don’t floss, you’re neglecting to clean two surfaces of your teeth. These dirty surfaces will eventually start to decay and you’ll get cavities in between your teeth. Cavities can lead to tooth abscesses, pulpitis, and other unpleasant conditions.
Gum disease
When you don’t floss, bacteria that form plaque becomes lodged in your gums, causing inflammation that eventually leads to gum disease (aka periodontal disease). As this painful disease progresses, it also affects your teeth and other aspects of your health as well as your appearance — your inflamed gums recede from your teeth, making your teeth appear abnormally long.
Tooth loss
Tooth loss is a complication of periodontal disease caused by lack of flossing. If you start flossing now, you can help reverse any gum disease you already have so that it doesn’t get to the point where you will lose a tooth.
Heart attack
Troublingly, gum disease caused by not flossing has been linked to heart disease. It is thought that the same plaque that gets trapped under your gums can travel via your blood stream to your heart’s arteries.
Cognitive illness
In the same way that dental plaque travels your heart and causes problems, it might also make its way to your brain and wreak havoc there. One study examining the link between periodontal disease and Alzheimer’s found the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s had more bacteria associated with gum disease compared to the brains of cognitively healthy people.
Flossing tips
After reading this article, you’re probably willing to start flossing on a regular basis. Here are some tips to get the best results:
If bleeding doesn’t go away after at the first few days of your new flossing routine, you might have periodontal disease, according to Dr. Thornock of Sound Smiles Dental in Bainbridge Island, WA.
