
Importance and techniques of flossing
Flossing is one of the most efficient techniques to keep your teeth healthy. It helps to eradicate plaque formation in your teeth since the dental floss is able to go in between gaps to remove food and plaque easily. It is essential to floss at least once a day for proper care of your teeth. In this article, you can learn about the importance of flossing and the right technique of flossing your teeth.
Importance of flossing
- Flossing reduces cavities
Flossing is one of the most effective techniques to reduce the chances of cavities. It helps to clean the parts of the tooth where the toothbrush has less access. Daily flossing helps to clean the side of the tooth thus no cavities can develop due to the lodging of food. - Reduce the chances of gum diseases
Gum is a very sensitive part of the body and prone to developing infections quite easily. Regular flossing helps the gums to avoid diseases like gingivitis. However, it needs the support of regular brushing fully. Thus, you must never expect that only flossing might help you to reduce the formation of plaque. - Advanced gingivitis leads to periodontitis
Bleeding gums, if untreated leads to periodontitis. You might expect perennial bleeding from the gums. Flossing acts as a good preventive measure in the case of gingivitis. You can initiate flossing even after getting affected by the disease as it can restrict the advancement of the disease. - Ill-effects of not flossing
There are several ill-effects of not flossing that you should know. Consider yourself at a higher risk of forming cavities in the teeth which might lead to tooth decay. There are more chances of bad breath which is caused due to the decomposition of the logged food item in the teeth. Furthermore, the chances of developing gum diseases increase. Remember that the gum diseases take a long time to recover and it might sometimes turn chronic.
The technique of flossing
The technique of flossing is simple. However, your dentist might guide you throughout the process to ensure you don’t use the dental floss too roughly. The primary thing is to choose the right floss which you can refer to your dentist about.
Your dentist might suggest you soak it in lukewarm water for the enhancement of cleaning. Moreover, it is beneficial if you have undergone any orthodontic surgery.
Pull nearly 20 inches of the floss from the dispenser. You should do it carefully as the floss might tear at times. Avoid using old bits of dental floss.
Wrap the floss around your fingers. It is convenient to wrap it in your index fingers or the middle fingers of both the hand. Remember that the floss should exert some pressure on the surface of the tooth.
Try making a C shape using the floss. Floss your teeth in a push-pull motion. Keep doing it for all the notches of the teeth. You should change the direction to up-down whenever needed. It is easy to understand the angle in which the floss should run and you can incorporate it automatically.
The above-mentioned instructions should help you have a good idea as to the technique of flossing but don’t hesitate to ask a professional for further advice, especially if you have been facing gum or teeth problems.