What percentage of your patients tell you that they floss every day?

Dr. Jackson: You know, I would say it’s probably less than half tell us that they do floss every day. Out of the half who say they do floss on a daily basis, probably 80% of them actually do. However, your mouth does not lie to us. We can tell. If you say that you’re flossing on a consistent basis, we can tell if you’re not doing it effectively. Sometimes people tell us that they’re flossing on a daily basis. But we can just tell that it’s not getting done quite as efficiently or as effectively as they say that they are. We don’t judge, but we will nudge you to stay on top of your flossing habits! We have lots of people who just admit “I don’t floss on a daily basis.”

The biggest thing that we see is the sooner kids get started on these habits, the more likely they are to be life-lasting in terms of the benefits. The younger or the earlier you start good flossing habits, the more you can ensure better oral health. They say that if you are in there flossing on a daily basis, you’ll add weeks, months, and years to your life.

Flossing Can Add Years to Your Life?

Dr. Jackson: Well, when you think about it, what you’re doing when you’re flossing is you’re removing bacteria. The lower amount of bacteria that your body has to fight against, whether it be through periodontal disease, decay, and possible infections, the more healthy you’re going to be for the remainder of your life.