people avoid flossing

Why Do So Many People Avoid Flossing?

Author: PV Smiles Reem Kidess | Posted on with comments

people avoid flossing Flossing is basic dental hygiene. It’s easy and takes a matter of minutes, so why do so many people avoid flossing?

People avoid flossing because they simply don’t like to.

Yahoo! recently featured an article about flossing and referenced some crazy things people would rather do than floss their teeth. This list included things like scrubbing a toilet bowl, sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, waiting in long lines at the check-out or even washing a mountain of dirty dishes. About a third of dental patients actually lie to their hygienist or dentist about how often they floss.

60% of people avoid flossing daily; 20% of people avoid flossing altogether

This is according to an October 2014 article published on the ADA website. The survey behind the article also showed a relationship between good oral health and flossing every day.

Reasons People Avoid Flossing

  • It’s boring.
  • Sensitive gums/gum disease.
  • It’s difficult to find value in flossing when you don’t immediately see the benefits.

It’s important for your oral health that you floss daily, especially if you have history of gum disease and cavities. If you’re not sure about the proper way to floss, here are the easy steps:

  • Choose a waxed floss, or a flat ribbon (tape) floss if you have wide gaps between your teeth. Pull off about 18”.
  • Take each end and wrap them around your index fingers, leaving about 4-5” between the fingers to work with.
  • Carefully push the floss between your teeth, essentially “scrubbing” back and forth between the teeth. Be sure to also curve the floss around each side of the tooth and up into the gum line.
  • After each tooth, move to a different section of the floss and start on the next until you’re done.

If you’re still having trouble getting down the daily routine, talk to your dentist at your next visit for tips and ideas. If you’re avoiding flossing due to pain or sensitive gums, contact your dentist sooner.

If you need to schedule an appointment with a compassionate and gentle dentist in the Scottsdale, AZ area, our friendly staff can be reached through the web portal or by phone.