Growing up my mom always stressed the importance of flossing before and after a meal. Also with morning and especially before bedtime. We weren’t allowed to get into bed until she did a mouth inspection to make sure that me and my brother actually brushed our teeth.

Now many people just see teeth as a tool used to chew food so we don’t choke to death. I used to hate going to the dentist like many Americans do but it’s necessary. Every time the dentist would tell my mom “everything is good except she not flossing enough.”

I did not like flossing as a kid because my teeth were overcrowded in my mouth so it was extremely difficult to get the string to go in between each tooth.

The New York Times , reviewed a recent study by Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews they did an experiment to see if there was a correlation between not flossing and tooth decay . A null hypothesis was concluded. That there was no benifit to flossing as opposed to not flossing. This was reported all over the national media outlets. Many people jumped for joy after hearing this. However, dentists cautioned against this study arguing that there was not enough data prove this explanation.

Most people think that skipping on night of brushing or flossing won’t do much harm but it can especially if this becomes a habit. Now as college students after a long day its very tempting to go to bed without brushing your teeth.

Here are some of the nasty things that could happen if you fail to take proper care of your oral health.

There is a correlation between poor dental care and the overall health of your body. Did you know that not properly taking care of your teeth can actually contribute to cardiovascular disease? According to Collgate.com the bacteria from your gums can flow into your blood stream which can then cause clogged arteries which can then lead to a stroke.

As young people we think that tooth loss only happens to older people. Well that’s far from the truth what you do today can impact if you will have teeth tomorrow. After every meal you should be flossing because food particles can get stuck on your teeth. Also that white build up around the teeth as described by the Huffington Post is plaque. If left on the tooth too long it can cause cavities. Which is a whole in the tooth. They will either have to get filled if caught in time or a cap is placed on the tooth if too much damage has already been done.

Make sure to clean every part of your mouth including the tongue. Do you ever wake up in the morning and wonder what that white stuff is on your tongue? When is the last time you actually washed your tongue? According to Mayo clinic , it’s a combination of bacteria and other particles that collect over time on the tongue. Its caused by a lack of proper oral hygiene. To solve this problem a simple scrub with a tooth brush should do the trick. Just not too hard because it can cause the tongue to get irritated.

Some people only brush their teeth for a minute or a minute and a half. That not enough because you need to brush each tooth to remove all food particles. The recommend amoutn of time for teeth brushing is two minutes.

Make sure you are using toothpaste that has fluoride in it. Fluoride helps protect out teeth.  Limit the amount of candy and other sugary foods that you consume on a daily basis. Remember this equation proper oral care= healthy body.