Why Is Dental Floss Important for Oral Health?

Keeping your mouth healthy means more than giving your teeth a quick brush twice a day. Food and plaque hide in tight spaces your toothbrush can’t reach. 

Over time, that buildup can cause problems you’d rather avoid—like gum swelling, bad breath, and even tooth loss. Learning why dental floss matters will help you keep your smile fresh and your gums strong. 

This guide looks closely at how it works, what happens if you skip it, and why brushing alone leaves a big job unfinished.

What Is Dental Floss and How Does It Work?

Dental floss is a thin, strong string designed to clean between teeth and along the gumline. These are places where food and sticky plaque collect, and where your toothbrush bristles can’t fit. By sliding the floss between teeth, you remove debris before it hardens into tartar.

Types of floss you might see in Belgium include:

• Waxed floss – smooth and slightly slippery, easy to slide between tight teeth.
  

• Unwaxed floss – thinner and good for closely spaced teeth.
  

• Superfloss – has stiff ends and spongy middle, useful for braces or bridges.
  

• Denture floss – made to clean around false teeth.
  

• Water flosser – uses a stream of water to clean between teeth and along the gumline, helpful for people with braces or sensitive gums.
  

How to use floss properly:

1. Cut about 45 cm (18 inches) of floss.
   

2. Wrap most of it around each middle finger, leaving a few cm to work with.
   

3. Gently slide between teeth, curving the floss into a “C” shape around each tooth.
   

4. Move it up and down under the gumline.
   

5. Use a fresh section for each tooth.

Many people in Brussels, Ghent, and Antwerp keep dental care kits at home that include floss alongside toothbrushes, toothpaste, and tongue cleaners. Flossing daily, before or after brushing, removes the bacteria that cause decay and gum disease.

If you’re concerned about waste, some brands now make biodegradable options, which can be part of composting dental care waste programs in Belgium. Choosing these can make your daily habit more eco-friendly without losing cleaning power.

When used correctly, floss works with brushing to keep teeth smooth, gums healthy, and your breath clean.

What Happens If You Don’t Floss?

Skipping flossing may not seem serious at first, but small problems grow over time. Plaque—a sticky film of bacteria—forms on teeth every day. Brushing removes a lot of it, but the plaque between teeth stays behind. Within 24 to 36 hours, this plaque can harden into tartar. Once tartar forms, you can’t remove it at home. You’ll need a dental professional to clean it away.

Problems that can happen if you don’t floss include:

• Gum disease (gingivitis) – gums become red, swollen, and may bleed when brushing.
  

• Bad breath – bacteria between teeth produce unpleasant smells.
  

• Cavities between teeth – decay can start in hidden spots where food sits too long.
  

• Bone loss – advanced gum disease can damage the jawbone holding your teeth.
  

• Tooth loss – teeth may become loose or fall out over time.

Bacteria from untreated gum disease can even enter the bloodstream, adding stress to your heart and overall health. In Belgium, dentists often stress the connection between healthy gums and a healthy body during regular check-ups.

Ignoring flossing also means missing the chance to keep dental work in good condition. If you have braces, bridges, or implants, specialized floss like super floss or denture floss keeps these areas clean. Water flossers are another good option, especially for people who struggle with string floss.

Flossing also helps control staining between teeth. Coffee, tea, and wine—common in Brussels and Ghent—can leave marks that build up more quickly without proper cleaning. Regular flossing makes your teeth look brighter and feel smoother.

By making flossing part of your daily routine, you avoid painful treatments, high dental costs, and the frustration of preventable tooth loss.

Can Brushing Alone Keep Your Mouth Healthy?

Brushing is important, but it only cleans the surfaces your toothbrush can touch. That’s about two-thirds of each tooth. The remaining one-third—the sides that touch other teeth—needs cleaning, too. Without flossing, that part stays dirty, even if you brush twice a day.

Think about eating bread or meat. Small pieces can get stuck between teeth. Your brush sweeps over the tops but doesn’t push into those tight gaps. Over time, those hidden pieces break down into bacteria. The bacteria produce acids that attack tooth enamel and irritate gums.

Even electric toothbrushes, while more effective than manual ones, can’t fully replace floss. The Belgian Dental Association often recommends a combination:

• Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste.
  

• Floss once a day to reach hidden areas.
  

• Use a water flosser if you have trouble with manual floss.

People with braces or bridges benefit from Superfloss and denture floss, which are shaped to go under wires and around dental work. Including these in dental care kits makes it easier to keep everything in one place.

For eco-conscious households, some choose reusable floss holders or biodegradable floss, adding them to their composting dental care waste efforts. These small choices can reduce plastic waste from oral care routines in Brussels, Ghent, and Antwerp.

So, can brushing alone keep your mouth healthy? No—flossing is the partner that makes brushing truly effective. Together, they protect every surface of your teeth, help prevent gum disease, and keep your smile in top shape for years to come.

Why Dental Floss Is Important for Oral Health

Keeping your mouth healthy means taking care of every side of every tooth. 

Your toothbrush works well for the front, back, and chewing surfaces, but it can’t reach into the narrow spaces between teeth. That’s where dental floss makes the biggest difference. It reaches the tight gaps and gently cleans along the gumline—two areas where bacteria love to grow.

1. Prevents Plaque and Tartar Build-up

Plaque forms every day. It’s soft and sticky at first, but if you don’t remove it within 24 to 36 hours, it hardens into tartar. Tartar is rough and traps even more bacteria. Once tartar forms, brushing and flossing at home can’t remove it—you’ll need a professional cleaning. Regular Flossing keeps plaque from getting the chance to harden.

Key benefits of removing plaque daily:

• Less risk of gum irritation and bleeding.
  

• Lower chance of cavities between teeth.
  

• Fresher breath from a cleaner mouth.

2. Protects Gum Health

When bacteria stay along the gumline, they cause inflammation. At first, this is mild and reversible (gingivitis). If ignored, it can progress to periodontitis, which can damage bone and cause teeth to loosen. Floss removes bacteria from these hidden spots, keeping gums firm, pink, and healthy.

In Belgium, dentists in Brussels, Ghent, and Antwerp often recommend adding floss to your dental care kits early in life so it becomes a natural part of your routine.

3. Supports Overall Health

A clean mouth helps protect the rest of your body. Studies link gum disease to health problems like heart disease and diabetes. Bacteria from infected gums can travel through your bloodstream and increase inflammation elsewhere in the body. By keeping your gums healthy, you help your body stay healthier too.

4. Keeps Dental Work in Good Condition

If you have braces, bridges, implants, or partial dentures, normal floss may not fit well around them. This is where special tools help:

• Superfloss or super floss has three sections: a stiff end to thread under dental work, a spongy middle for cleaning around wires, and regular floss for normal areas.
  

• Denture floss is made for cleaning around false teeth, reaching where brushes can’t.
  

• A water flosser uses a steady stream of water to rinse debris away—handy for people who find string floss difficult to handle.

These options make it easier to clean every surface, no matter your dental situation.

5. Prevents Bad Breath

Food trapped between teeth begins to break down. The bacteria that feed on it release strong odors. Even if you brush well, these smells can stay if you don’t clean between teeth. Flossing daily removes the source of these odors, helping your breath stay fresh throughout the day.

6. Boosts the Effectiveness of Brushing

When you floss before brushing, you loosen and remove particles between teeth. This makes it easier for your toothpaste’s fluoride to reach those areas and protect them. Some people prefer brushing first—either way, doing both every day is what matters most.

7. Simple Habit, Long-term Payoff

Flossing takes only a couple of minutes, but it helps prevent dental problems that can take months (and a lot of money) to fix. In Belgium, regular dental care is encouraged through routine check-ups, and dentists often see the difference between patients who floss daily and those who don’t.

Daily flossing helps you:

• Avoid painful dental treatments.
  

• Keep natural teeth for longer.
  

• Enjoy a cleaner, fresher smile every day.

8. Practical Tips for Making Flossing Easier

• Keep floss in visible spots, like next to your toothbrush.
  

• Use pre-threaded floss holders if handling floss is difficult.
  

• Try different floss types until you find one that feels comfortable.
  

• If you have tight spaces between teeth, waxed floss often slides more easily.
  

• For eco-conscious households, consider reusable floss holders or biodegradable floss.

Step-by-step refresher for good flossing technique:

1. Pull about 45 cm (18 inches) of floss.
   

2. Wrap the ends around your middle fingers, leaving a short section to work with.
   

3. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and index fingers.
   

4. Gently guide the floss between teeth using a back-and-forth motion.
   

5. Curve the floss around the side of each tooth in a “C” shape.
   

6. Slide it under the gumline, then move up and down a few times.
   

7. Use a clean section of floss for each tooth.

Making flossing part of your routine is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your oral health. In places like Brussels, Ghent, and Antwerp, where coffee, chocolate, and bread are daily favorites, keeping those tight spaces clean is especially important.

By giving your teeth and gums this extra care, you’re not only keeping your smile bright—you’re protecting your health for the future.

Conclusion

Dental floss is a small tool with a big role in keeping your teeth and gums healthy. It clears away food and bacteria from places your toothbrush can’t reach. 

When you pair flossing with daily brushing, you lower your risk of cavities, gum disease, and even some health problems beyond your mouth. Start making flossing a daily habit today—your future smile will thank you. 

For more helpful products and tips to support your dental health, visit Wisely Market.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I floss?

Once a day is enough for most people. Make it part of your daily routine to keep teeth and gums healthy.

Can I reuse floss?

No. Used floss can fray and hold bacteria. Always use a fresh piece each time.

Is a water flosser as good as string floss?

It’s helpful, especially for braces or sensitive gums, but many dentists recommend using both for best results.

Does flossing hurt?

It may cause slight bleeding at first if gums are inflamed, but this should stop after a week of daily flossing.

What’s the best floss for tight teeth?

Waxed floss usually slides more easily between tight spaces than unwaxed floss.