Guide to Flossing
Your teeth are an important part of your body, and therefore require utmost care and attention. They play an important role in several tasks which are essential to our existence and development. They help you to crush food into smaller clumps to make the process of digestion an easier one. They also help you to speak, and give your face frame by way of a shining smile. In order to keep your teeth in shape you need to use a variety of dental care products. One such tooth treatment is flossing.
What does flossing actually do?
Although toothpaste and a toothbrush are essential elements in the care of your teeth, along with mouthwash, dental floss is another important factor in this process. By flossing your teeth you remove plaque and bits of food that get caught up between teeth. The area between your teeth is an area where bacteria can gather and deteriorate the state of your teeth and gums, which is why dental floss is such an essential dental care product. You should floss your teeth at least once a day, if not after every meal, but if you only do it once then it best to do so at night. Ensure that you floss between each tooth.
How to floss your teeth
Flossing may seem like a simple exercise, but it easy to get the job over and done with quickly without actually doing a good job. This simple guide should make the process a bit more effective:
- Pull a thread of floss out of the pack to the extent of around 16 inches.
- Enfold most of the floss around the middle finger on one of your hands, and wrap the rest on to the thumb of your other hand. This will enable you to manoeuvre the floss along as you clean between each tooth.
- Next, tighten the floss between your thumb and middle finger, creating a gap of about an inch or so.
- Guide the floss though the gap between one of your teeth, by way of performing a tender rocking action
- Manoeuvre the floss between the bottom of the tooth and gum, but do not apply too much pressure. Feel for resistance in order to know when to stop.
- Then, rub the floss against the side of the tooth upwards and downwards. Carry out the same method of flossing for each and every tooth. It will be more problematic to do so for the teeth rooted at the back of the mouth.
- Start where you like, but by having a specific route you will know more easily which teeth you have already done.
- Ensure that you clean underneath any implants or bridges.
- If certain teeth are too tight to fit the floss between, then your dentist can recommend you specially made floss, such as Super Floss, to help floss these teeth more easily.
Bleeding gums
When you first begin to floss there may be some bleeding or soreness to the gums. This is normally a momentary consequence, and merely shows that you are beginning to dislodge the bacteria and plaque that has gathered up. If you follow the guideline as set out above and stick to the guidelines provided with your dental floss, then bleeding should stop after about a week. If it does not, then it is advised you see your dentist.
What dental floss should you use?
There is a variety of floss available on the market. Things you need to think about when deciding which one to buy include:
- Do you want flavoured or unflavoured floss? Neither will make much of a difference to the cleanliness of your mouth, but flavoured may taste better.
- Do you want waxed or unwaxed floss? Waxed floss can fit more easily between the gaps in your teeth.
- Do you want a thread or tape based dental floss? Individual preference through experimentation will give you the answer.
- Teflon dental floss is for those who have smaller spaces between their teeth. You should consult your dentist if you are unable to find a dental floss that can fit between the gaps in your teeth.
