Flossing: Do I reeeally have to do it?
Short answer: Yes.
But why exactly? Well…..
Imagine washing your car, but cleaning only the roof, bonnet and boot, ignoring the doors. Would you call that car ‘clean’ once you’d finished? It’s much the same with our teeth. Tooth brushing cleans the sides and tops of our teeth, but the in between areas can only be cleaned with floss (or another type of interdental cleaner). Without flossing, you are merely brushing your teeth, not cleaning them.
Leaving plaque between the teeth is the number one reason for the development of tooth decay in these areas, which are the most common areas for it to occur. Unfortunately, the only way the dentist can see a cavity between the teeth is with x-rays or when the cavity is large enough that it has eaten into a visible surface of the tooth – not ideal!
Leaving plaque between the teeth not only predisposes the teeth to decay, it also leaves us vulnerable to periodontal, or gum disease which occurs when the bacteria in plaque leads to inflammation and a loss of the attachment of the tooth to the gum. This creates a pocket which the plaque falls into, making it even harder to clean it away. This hard to reach plaque then causes the bone which supports the tooth to deteriorate, and in extreme cases, teeth become loose and are ultimately lost.
Which type of floss should I use and how should I do it?
We find that a tape style floss works best. As with tooth brushing, it is important that you use the correct technique when flossing. It can take a bit of fiddling to get used to, but once you figure it out, you’ll be able to whip around and floss your teeth in no time at all.
Begin by tearing off a piece of floss around 30cm in length.
Wrap one end loosely around the middle finger in your left hand, and the other end loosely around the middle finger in your right hand, until you are working with a small section between your two pointer fingers.
Gently see-saw the floss between the teeth, past the contact point. Gently slide the floss along the sides of each tooth, going slightly under the gum, before bringing the floss back out through the contact point.
You can then rinse the plaque off under the tap or move on to a fresh section of floss.
If you notice your gums bleeding when you floss, this is an indication that plaque has been left behind for a prolonged period of time. Flossing regularly (and gently) every day will lead to healthier gums and no more bleeding when you floss.
If you or your children struggle with traditional floss, there are many floss alternatives on the market such as flossettes and interpiks. Whichever you choose, the main thing is that you use it as instructed and never force an object between your teeth with anything but gentle pressure.
