Should Flossing Take A Lot Of Time?

Flossing your teeth does not need to take a lot of time, as long as you do things right. In fact, to maintain good dental health, you only need to floss for 2 minutes once a day.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), you only need to floss once a day for 2 minutes to achieve optimal oral health benefits. It takes bad colonies of bacteria inside the mouth about 24 hours to form. Therefore, as long as you dislodge any food that gets stuck between the teeth once daily, you can prevent problems with tooth decay. While you do not have to floss before bedtime, usually this is the best time to floss, as you will prevent bacteria from feeding on leftover food particles o while you sleep.

Flossing once a day is flossing in moderation, as you never want to floss your teeth too much. If you floss several times per day, you can end up damaging your gums. Flossing can also cut into the gums, which can scratch them and lead to an unwanted infection. Moreover, over-flossing can irritate the mouth's soft tissues, which can lead to inflammation and bleeding.

If you floss too vigorously, you can wear down the gum line and erode the dental enamel over time. By brushing once a day, you can give your gums a chance to rest and recover. Make sure you floss gently and do so at the same time each day. If you feel too tired to floss at bedtime, choose a time during the day where you have more energy. It is better to floss once a day than to skip flossing completely.