We are often told to floss our teeth on a daily basis. Flossing is meant to remove plaque in the hard-to-reach areas of your teeth before it becomes tartar, which is a harder substance that can damage your gums and cause serious issues to your dental and overall health down the road. But really, how effective is flossing, and are there other ways to protect your teeth?

Flossing is known as tartar control, and its aim is to remove plaque before it becomes tartar. It takes about 12 to 72 hours for plaque to start to harden into tartar.

However, there is something that you may not be aware of: flossing only reaches 1 to 2 mm into a sulcus or periodontal pocket, so a deeper pocket will lead to you missing 60 to 80% of the plaque on the roots of your teeth. Once it hardens, the chances for gum disease increase significantly. The effectiveness of flossing to protect against gum disease is severely reduced by this issue.

At TLC 4 Gums, we promote plaque control instead of tartar control. We want to prevent the formation of tartar by preventing the formation plaque; which is extremely effective. We offer revolutionary, minimally-invasive, and effective treatments for gum disease in addition to comprehensive cosmetic and general dental care.

If you are in the Phoenix or Peoria, AZ areas, come and book a consultation with Dr. Wilson to find out the best ways to protect and treat your teeth for your specific needs.