About Flossing
About Flossing
Along with brushing your teeth, you should also be flossing on a daily
basis. Flossing removes plaque and debris in areas that your
toothbrush isn’t able to reach. A buildup of plaque can lead to gum
disease or tooth decay, which is why flossing is very important. If
you floss immediately after brushing, you’ll notice that your gums and
teeth are much healthier.
When you look at dental floss, you’ll notice there are two types -
nylon and single filament. You can get nylon either waxed or un-waxed,
in several different flavors. Nylon floss is made up of several
strands of nylon material, meaning that it can shred, tear, or snag
between the teeth if it gets caught on a sharp spot. Even though the
single filament floss is more expensive than nylon, it will slide
easily between teeth, even tight areas and spaces. Unlike nylon,
single filament is impossible to shred or tear.
No matter which type of floss you choose, as long you floss regularly,
it will remove debris from your teeth and gums. If you’ve never tried
flossing before, it will amaze you just how much debris and food
particles it removes. Dentists everywhere recommend flossing; it
cleans places that even the smallest toothbrushes can’t reach. Food
and debris build up between your teeth, which makes dental flossing
very important.
The main problem many people have against flossing is the fact that it
can result in bleeding of the gums. Anytime you floss and get between
your teeth and around your gums, the floss will rub against your gums,
resulting in bleeding. Many people take this the wrong way, and
immediately stop flossing, usually for good. Bleeding is very common
and is part and parcel with flossing.
When you brush your teeth, you miss a lot of food particles and
debris. These continue to build up in your mouth. No toothbrush
reaches every area of your mouth; all of them miss hard to reach
places. In the areas missed by the toothbrush, the debris and plaque
continue to build up until they eventually result in a cavity or
decay. To get this debris and plaque before it builds up into
something more serious, you’ll need to floss.
If you’ve been afraid to try flossing due to the bleeding, you should
really get over that fear and floss after you brush. To keep your
teeth and gums healthy, you need to brush and floss your teeth.
Regular checkups with your dentist will help as well, although it is
up to you to continue your regular maintenance at home with flossing
and brushing. If you floss on a daily basis – you’ll quickly see the
difference.
