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Most Common Mistakes People Tend to Make When Flossing | Issaquah Dentist

Flossing is an important part of your daily routine of getting a healthy smile and keeping cavities and gum disease away. Yet, most people don’t know it is possible to floss the wrong way and damage their teeth while doing it.

Flossing is considered important because when brushing and flossing the floss is responsible for the removal of 40% of bacteria and plaque. Below, we cover why flossing is important and a few common flossing mistakes. 

Bad Habits While Flossing

When you move from tooth to tooth quickly you risk not removing the tartar buildup on your teeth. Which is the whole purpose of flossing. We floss to clean old food and bacteria from between your teeth, but also helps remove a thin, damaging layer of plaque that can cause cavities to form.

Many people only floss one side of each of their teeth, think about it. Do you slide it between teeth and only put pressure against one side or do you take the time to slide up and down a few times against one tooth and then reverse the process against the other tooth?

Bleeding When You Floss

A full flossing routine should always involve cleaning teeth down below the gum line. This is where dental plaque can deposit in the pockets unreached by toothbrushes. If left untreated, plaque buildup near the root of teeth can lead to gingivitis and tooth decay. Bleeding gums when flossing is often an early sign of gum disease.

If you or your child has sensitive, swollen gums that bleed when they are brushed or flossed, then it most definitely is time to schedule a visit to our office. Gum disease is very treatable and can be reversed. Allow us to help get your oral care back on track. Call our office today to schedule an appointment.

For more information about flossing, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

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Why You Need to Protect Your Gums When Pregnant | Issaquah Dentist

If you are pregnant, your calendar will likely fill up quickly with all of the things you need to do before the baby arrives. While this will likely include regular appointments with your doctor, it is important to remember your oral health during this time. Regular dental cleanings and some extra oral hygiene precautions can keep your mouth healthy.

Pregnancy Gingivitis

Pregnancy gingivitis is a result of hormonal changes that lead to issues in the mouth. Your gums may bleed easily and feel tender and swollen. These symptoms can begin at any time throughout a pregnancy and are a sign that your gums need extra care and attention.

Prematurity and Low Birth Weight

Unfortunately, some scientists believe that gum disease during pregnancy may be connected to bigger problems. There have been several scientific studies that found connections between periodontal disease and prematurity. This research found that women with gum disease may be at an increased risk for delivering babies prematurely or at a low-birth weight when compared to mothers with healthy gums.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that babies who weigh less than 5.5 pounds at birth could be at risk for learning disabilities, delayed motor skills, and other issues.

Preventing Adverse Complications

If you are pregnant and worried about these adverse outcomes, there are steps that you can take. Routine brushing and flossing – twice and once per day, respectively – is a necessity, and it is important to focus on the gums during your oral hygiene efforts. A periodontal evaluation may be useful to inspect the health of your gums, and you should monitor your gums frequently to look for any changes.

Maintaining good oral and gum health supports your overall health as well as the health of your baby. Call us today to set up an appointment so that we can help you to have a healthy pregnancy.

For more information about All-on-4 implants, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.