Flossing improves your dental hygiene

Flossing is an important part of dental hygiene habit. It cleans and dislodges food stuck between your teeth, which reduce the amount of bacteria and plaque in your mouth. Plaque is a sticky film that builds up on your teeth and leads to cavities and gum disease. Although many people brush their teeth daily, not everyone flosses their teeth as regularly.

It’s important to floss correctly. Improper flossing can damage your teeth and gums.  Here’s a step-by-step guide on the best way to floss.

1. Break off about 18 to 24 centimeters of dental floss. To hold the floss correctly, wind most of the floss around both of your middle fingers. Leave only about 5 centimeters of floss for your teeth.
2. Next, hold the floss stretched taut with your thumbs and index fingers.
3. Place the dental floss in between two teeth. Gently glide the floss up and down, rubbing it against both sides of each tooth. Don’t glide the floss into your gums. This can scratch or bruise your gums.
4. As the floss reaches your gums, curve the floss at the tooth's base to form a C shape. This allows the floss to enter the space between your gums and your tooth.
5. Repeat the steps as you move from tooth to tooth.

It’s recommended to floss first and then brush your teeth. Flossing helps to lift and release food and plaque stuck between your teeth, while brushing removes these from the other surfaces of your teeth. Floss between your teeth at least once every day and brush your teeth twice per day.

Dental floss comes in many varieties. Which type of floss is best for you depends on your preferences, the amount of space between your teeth, and whether you have braces or bridges. Some dental floss is easier to use in wider spaces, whereas other types of floss are easier to use in tighter spaces.

Different types of dental floss include:

• Dental tape. This type of dental floss is broader and flat like a ribbon, making it easier to handle if you have braces, gaps, or large spaces between your teeth.
• Standard floss. This is a thin nylon strand that can fit in between teeth. It comes flavoured or unflavored as well as waxed or unwaxed. If your teeth are crowded or closer together, dental floss with a wax coating can make it easier to get in between them.
• Super flosses. This dental floss can work with braces, bridges, and gaps. It has three components: a stiffened end for flossing in tight and narrow spots, a spongy floss to clean in and around your teeth, braces or bridge, and regular floss to eliminate plaque underneath your gum line.

Other tools to make flossing easier

• One option is to use an electric flosser or a water flosser, which uses water and pressure to remove plaque and food from in between teeth. Both are great options if you have trouble using regular floss. A water flosser is also useful if you have braces. This device can clean in between brackets and wires.
• Another option is to use disposable floss picks. They’re easy to manoeuvre and can help you floss hard-to-reach teeth in the back of your mouth.

Flossing helps remove bacteria, plaque, and food from between your teeth, reducing the likelihood of tooth decay and gum disease. Along with regular brushing and flossing, make sure you schedule regular dental cleanings at your dentist or healthcare provider.

You may be able to get your flossing done with a little creativity on your part; here are our alternatives:

• The chewing stick made from trees that have been shown to have antiseptic properties, these pencil size sticks when chewed fray at the end and the thin strands can floss your teeth as well as brush them too. The bitter taste may be unpleasant, but the benefits are worth it.
• You can use wooden toothpicks to remove plaques and food stuck between your teeth. They can hurt your gums if you push a toothpick against them. Use carefully rubbing along the sides (not the pointed parts) near the gum. You can also try interdental brushes if you have larger gaps between your teeth.
• Using a sewing thread can injure your gums if you do not use it very carefully. Be sure to floss gently and inspect teeth for broken strings after flossing.

Flossing is an important part of your dental hygiene, you may not have started this early, but it is never too late to start. Your teeth will remain stronger and your gums healthier for longer.