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Tips on Flossing A set of unhealthy teeth is something nobody wants. It can lead to bad breath, difficulty chewing, and an overall negative effect on your smile and appearance. Dental visits can be costly, and what matters the most is your day-to-day care for your teeth. That means not only should you brush regularly, but also floss with care at least once each day. It may seem like a tedious task, but the more time put into your teeth, the healthier they will be in the long run.A decent understanding of how to floss is important so it can be done properly. There will be less plaque and food particles in your teeth. It is important to learn the ins and outs of flossing. If you have any questions, please contact us at Smile Family Dentistry to get them answered with detail and care. Types of FlossDental floss generally comes in two types: nylon (multifilament) and PTFE (monofilament). The nylon floss comes in waxed or unwaxed and has many different flavors. However, it may be ripped or shredded especially between tighter teeth. Although more expensive, PTFE floss slides easily through the tightest teeth and is incredibly shred-resistant. Overall, both are good tools to remove plaque and debris. Simple and GentleIt is critical to floss the right way. To start, have about 30-45 cm or 18 inches of floss, with most of it wrapped around the two middle fingers. Then, put the floss between two of your teeth, and gently pull it up and down the sides of the teeth. When the gums are reached, the floss should be pulled towards the tooth to form a C shape. That will make it easy for it to slide between the tooth and the gums. Make sure for each pair of teeth, new floss is used. Note that the floss should never be forced or snapped. Doing so will likely damage the gums and cause them to bleed. Be sure to always floss carefully and gently. For the very first few times of flossing, the gums may bleed simply because they are not used to it. However, after a week, there should not be any bleeding anymore. If this does happen, it will be a good idea to consult a dentist as infections may occur. Forming a HabitNew habits can be hard to form, and that is the same for everyone. Consistency in flossing is very much needed as doing it just once or twice will not contribute much. An extra two to three minutes per day is all that is needed for improved oral health, so try to remember to floss before or after brushing. Also, every tooth should be taken care of since back teeth are easy to forget. If you have troubles with dental floss, water flossers are an option as well. For more information and advice, please visit us at Smile Family Dentistry where our friendly staff and professional dentists will address all the concerns you may have. Please feel free to call us at 925-825-1130, as well. |
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