subject: Flossing - Taking Care Of Your Teeth! [print this page] Flossing is an essential oral health practiceFlossing is an essential oral health practice. When you brush your teeth correctly and consistently, a lot of dental plaque is removed. However, there are some areas that your toothbrush is not able to reach no matter how hard you try e.g. in-between your teeth. Therefore, you need to apply floss on such areas to get rid of plaque properly.
Flossing does more than getting rid of plaque from the areas of your teeth where the toothbrush cannot reach. It also helps to put bad breath under control, polish the surfaces of your tooth, and gets rid of debris that stick to the teeth and gum.
Achieving Effective Flossing
For flossing teeth to be effective, it is recommended that you do it daily, at least once everyday. Also, it should last for about 2 3 minutes each time. Also, you must floss correctly.
Choosing Your Floss
Your choice of floss should be one that you are very comfortable using. The type of floss you use does not matter, the most important thing is for you to floss and achieve the oral benefits of flossing. One of the best ways to fight plaque and the oral issues that come with it is regular and consistent flossing.
The varieties of dental floss to choose from include;
Flavored
unflavored
waxed
unwaxed
wide and regular
Flossing Techniques for Adults
Usually, an oral health provider or dentist Chicago would demonstrate flossing methods for you to follow. There are various flossing methods, and any of the under-listed methods can be used by an adult;
The Loop Technique: This flossing technique is also referred to as the circle method. To begin, take a piece of floss about 18 inches, then knot it in a circle securely. Subsequently, place your entire fingers within the loop, with the exception of your thumb. Next, direct the floss through your lower teeth using the index finger, while directing the floss through your upper teeth with the thumbs; ensure that you exceed the gumline, until a C shape is formed on the tooths sides
The Spool Technique; another name for the spool method is the finger-wrap method. To start flossing with this technique, get a piece of floss ready, the same length used in the loop method (18 inches). Taking hold of the floss, wrap each side lightly around your middle fingers several times. Subsequently, manipulate the floss in-between your teeth tactfully while your index fingers and thumbs assume an upward and downward motion. Ensure that the motion is not side-to-side. The most excellent way is to make the floss go up and down, going beyond the gumline, and eventually assuming a C shape on each tooths side.
If you are just starting out to floss, flossing tools like the floss holder or a prethreaded flosser could be quite helpful; this is also the case with someone trying to floss a child or disabled persons teeth. Again, those suffering limited dexterity either on their hands or arms will find dental floss tools (e.g. floss holder) quite useful.
Bear in mind that flossing and tooth brushing cannot be substituted with irrigating devices like toothpicks. Irrigating devices could possibly work well around braces that keep back food particles, or sections of the teeth that cannot be reached with a toothbrush. However, the fact remains that they are not able to get rid of plaque, and therefore cannot substitute flossing and brushing.
Additional Information
As part of dental hygiene routine, flossing is a practice of using a piece of dental floss about 18-20 inches long to get rid of food remains or particles between the teeth. Flossing should accompany tooth brushing to help get rid of plaque that the toothbrush alone could not remove completely. Flossing cannot substitute tooth brushing; so ensure that you brush your teeth daily and also floss at least once every day.
If you are not flossing regularly and consistently, you are endangering your oral health. Food particles and plaque hiding out between your teeth and below your gumline can cause tooth decay or gum disease over time if not removed.
Therefore, flossing is not optional as many people erroneously believe, it is a necessary aspect of oral hygiene that should be adhered to properly. Your oral health must be at optimum always; therefore floss and brush your teeth always, and visit your family dentist Chicago regularly.
