Flossing is an essential but often overlooked part of good oral hygiene!!!
Flossing is important to prevent periodontal disease and tooth loss. Flossing isn’t necessarily about removing food stuck between your teeth as much as removing plaque. Flossing is the only effective way to remove plaque between teeth.
How to Floss:
- Start with about 18 inches of floss. Wrap most of it around the middle finder of one hand, the rest around the other middle finger.
- Grasp the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers, use a shoeshine motion to guide it between teeth.
- When the floss reaches the gum line, form a C shape to follow the contours of the tooth.
- Hold the floss firmly against the tooth, and move the floss up and down .
- Repeat the entire process with the rest of your teeth, “unspooling” fresh sections of floss as you go.
If you don’t floss you allow plaque to remain in between teeth and it eventually hardens into tartar. Unlike plaque, tartar will not be removed by brushing, tartar can only be removed by a dentist or dental hygienist.
Overtime, the levels of dangerous types of bacteria build up within tartar. The bacteria contains toxins that will irritate and inflame the gums. The inflammation is known as gingivitis.
When you do floss, if you haven’t in a while, you will likely have some bleeding from the gums. This is a normal part of the healing process and with continuing effort and flossing will resolve in 10-14 days.
Sweet Treats 🙂
Lovin’ Spoonfuls
Ingredients:
- White chocolate
- Small candies
- Plastic spoons
- Lollipop bags
Directions:
- Arrange the plastic spoons so that their bowls are level
- For every 8 spoons, melt 6oz of white chocolate in microwave-safe bowl according to package directions
- Transfer the chocolate to a ziplock bag and snip a corner
- Pipe the chocolate into each spoon and gently tap the spoons on work surface to level the chocolate. Sprinkle small candies, such as conversation hearts, red hots, or sprinkles on top
- Let cool completely and wrap
These can also be used as a coffee or a hot chocolate stir as well as a sweet treat! 🙂
Coming up at Reid & Reid
February is National Dental Health Month! Dr. Richard is continuing his rounds of some of the county elementary schools to educate the children of the importance of oral hygiene . The following are the dates and schools where Dr. Richard will be this month.
- 7th-Atkinson, Upward, Immaculata, and Hendersonville
- 14th-Sugarloaf, Bruce Drysdale
- 21st- Saluda, Mountain Community, and Mills River
- 28th-Clear Creek, Edneyville
Coming up this spring, Reid & Reid will be sponsoring a number of events or sports teams that benefit the children in Henderson County.
- Reid & Reid will be sponsoring a 5K run and 1 mile fun run on March 29th to benefit Upward Elementary.
- Henderson County Youth Baseball and Softball is starting up for the spring season and Reid & Reid is a proud sponsor of one softball and one baseball team this year.
- Reid & Reid will be sponsoring the Mtn. Expos travel baseball team for the spring season.
