Flossing: The Small Daily Habit That Stops the War Inside Your Mouth

​If you think dental floss is optional, it’s time to update that belief.

Picture your mouth like a little city — a busy one. Every day, tiny bacterial 'citizens' settle in and start building communities on your teeth. This used to be called Dental Plaque but now is called Biofilm.  Think of these “communities” as mini construction sites that never clock off.

When that biofilm is left alone, it gets organised and starts acting like a factory that sends chemical signals that trigger your body’s defenses — so that your immune system ends up attacking its own gum tissue in the process.
Once that inflammation kicks in, the pH in your gums drop, decreasing blood flow. Bone doesn’t like lack of oxygen, so it starts to retreat. This is what flossing daily is so important. It isn’t cosmetic — it’s preventing gum inflammation.

Why Flossing Once a Day Matters

​Biofilm matures fast. Within about a day or two it becomes tougher, stickier, and harder to remove. Flossing once a day is like sending the street sweeper through before the roads clog up. Leave it too long and you’ll need a full road crew to clean up the mess.
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Daily interdental cleaning keeps things running smoothly. For tight spaces and healthy gums, floss is still the simplest and most effective way to break up that biofilm before it gets out of hand.

The Right Way to Floss

​Forget the quick in-and-out move. Here’s how to do it properly:
- Slide the floss gently between the teeth.
- Wrap it around the tooth so it hugs one side of the tooth.
- Glide it under the gumline and move it upward.
- Repeat on the other side of the space.

​That’s it. No fancy tools. Just precision cleaning for the spots your brush can’t reach. At Novo, we love helping you getting the right technique, during our check-up appointments. If you are not sure how to do it, talk to your dentist or our friendly staff.

What About Water Flossers or Tiny Brushes?

Other devices can help — but they play different roles.
 
• Floss → Works best especially for tight contacts. The street sweeper.
• Interdental brush → Great for wider gaps or gum recession. The mini broom.
• Water flosser → Can help reduce bleeding and rinse away debris. The rain shower.
 
Interdental brushes are brilliant if they fit properly. Water flossers are handy for braces, implants, or dentures.
​However, flossing daily is the foundation for good oral hygiene and in most instances, flossing is still necessary even after using interdental brushes and water irrigation systems, because it is the mechanical disruption of the biofilm around the whole surface of each tooth that counts and reduce inflammation and gum bleeding.
 

The Mouth–Body Connection

As Professor Matt Hopcraft from the University of Melbourne puts it: “Your mouth’s not an island. What happens there affects the rest of you.” So that small daily act of flossing isn’t just about your smile — it supports your whole system.

You can read Professor Hopcraft's article about it: www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medical/brushing-and-flossing-your-teeth-may-not-be-enough-to-stop-this-silent-killer/news-story/9cad6574b7e30eac96e8e90e0b99aeae

The Habit That Changes Everything

​Stick with flossing every 24 hours and it becomes second nature — like sunscreen in summer. You’re not aiming for perfection, just consistency. Oh, and remember to floss before brushing…
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Floss once. Brush twice. Every day.
That’s partnership, not punishment.
Your gums don’t need to fight — they just need maintenance.

Professional Note:
Interdental cleaning should match your mouth and your dexterity. Always seek advice from your dentist;
Quick guide:
​• Floss: Best for tight contacts.
• Interdental brushes: Perfect for open spaces, gum recession or periodontal areas.
• Oral irrigators: Great add-ons for complex restorations, braces or implants.

​For the Curious (a.k.a. Dental Nerds)

If you’re the kind of person who likes evidence and lab coats, here’s what the science actually says:

• Dental plaque is a structured biofilm that matures within 24–48 hours. Acid and inflammation drive cavities and bone loss (Marsh 2006; Cury 2009; Berglundh 2018; AAP 2011).

• Daily interdental cleaning stops biofilm maturation and reduces gum inflammation (EFP S3 2020; AAP 2011).

• Proper 'C-shape' flossing lowers bleeding and plaque when done regularly (Marsh 2009; EFP 2020).

• Interdental brushes are equal or superior where space allows; floss is best for tight contacts; irrigators work well as adjuncts (Cochrane 2019; EFP 2020).

• Gum inflammation links to cardiovascular, metabolic and cognitive risks — strong evidence that oral health and systemic health go hand in hand (Hopcraft 2025; Tonetti 2013; EFP 2020).

More Nerd References:
1. American Academy of Periodontology (2011). Comprehensive Periodontal Therapy: A Statement by the AAP. J Periodontol 82(7):943–949. doi:10.1902/jop.2011.117001.

2. Sanz M et al. (2020). Treatment of Stage I–III Periodontitis — EFP S3 Level Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Periodontol 47(S22):4–60.

3. Cury JA & Tenuta LMA (2009). Enamel remineralisation: controlling the caries disease. Braz Oral Res 23(SI 1):23–30.

4. Marsh PD (2006). Dental plaque as a biofilm and microbial community. BMC Oral Health 6(Suppl 1):S14.

5. Marsh PD (2009). Dental plaque as a biofilm: the significance of pH. Compend Contin Educ Dent 30(2):76–87.

6. Berglundh T et al. (2018). Peri-implant diseases and conditions: Consensus report of the 2017 World Workshop. J Clin Periodontol 45(S20):S286–S291.

7. Hopcraft M (2025). Brushing and flossing your teeth may not be enough to stop this silent killer. The Australian, 25 June 2025.

8. Tonetti MS & Jepsen S (2013). Impact of periodontal therapy on systemic health. Periodontology 2000 62(1):15–39.

9. Cochrane Oral Health (2019). Interdental cleaning devices for prevention of periodontal diseases and caries.