Most people don’t floss enough—it’s one of the most common complaints that dentists have about their patients. However, in some rare cases it’s actually possible to floss too much, which presents a number of potentially serious problems to your gums and teeth.
Most dental experts agree that flossing once a day is more than enough to remove the plaque buildup that forms between your teeth. Even flossing twice a day, while unnecessary, will not cause major damage to your mouth. Anything above that, however, may start to cause problems. When you floss, the process is actually mildly irritating to your gums. When you’re only flossing once a day, this mild irritation is probably not even noticeable, but as you begin to floss more, you might start to notice that your gums become swollen, sensitive, and prone to bleeding.
Additionally, excessive flossing puts your enamel at risk. As you slide the floss between your teeth, it slowly begins to wear it away, and if this wearing down is severe enough it may actually expose the bone that attaches your teeth to your jaw. When this occurs, your teeth can become loose and, in extreme cases, fall out.
