2 minute read
Did You FLOSS Last Night?
By Dr. William Plumb, DDS, Plumb Dental
Years ago, I attended a continuing education course. I was in a room full of dentists, and the speaker asked, “How many of you flossed last night?” Only two or three hands were raised. I was embarrassed that mine wasn’t one of them.
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The speaker asked this question in order to make the point that knowledge often isn’t a great motivator. It was a good lesson, and it motivated me to change the way that I present treatment to my patients. Deep down, I’m still a scientist, and so naturally, I organize my treatment plans as a list of problems and their possible solutions. But since that seminar, I also attempt to explain why. Why should the patient complete this treatment? How will the treatment improve their lives? How will this procedure make them feel better, happier, and healthier?
In addition to helping me communicate better with my patients, these questions helped me in another way. I promised myself that if anybody ever asked me if I had flossed the night before, I would always be able to say yes.
Now I can honestly say that flossing has changed my life for the better. Here’s what flossing accomplishes:
• It cleans the areas between your teeth, helping you remove debris that can cause bad breath.
• It helps you avoid cavities that form between the teeth.
• It removes plaque that accumulates around the gum tissue that causes inflammation and can also lead to bone loss.
That is the what; here is the why. Imagine biting into a popsicle and not feeling sensitivity or going to the dentist for a cleaning and walking out without your gums being sore. Flossing just makes your mouth feel better. Try it for a week. I know you’ll feel a difference.
About the Author
Dr William Plumb graduated from the State University of New York School of Dentistry in 2006. He opened Plumb Dental in St George, Utah, in 2009. He has received extensive continuing education in cosmetic dentistry as well as oral surgery and implantology. Dr. Plumb loves living in southern Utah with his wife Kari and their four children.
