Flossing is an integral and important part that you should incorporate into your everyday dental routine. This is because as you consume delicious foods, small chunks of food can get lodged between the teeth and the gum line. This causes the build-up known as plaque, which would result in the growth of bacteria and lead to the onset of gum diseases. Read on to find out more in detail about the benefits of flossing and learn a few tips and tricks on how to floss in order to maintain the healthiest smile possible!
Benefits Of Flossing
With the inevitable buildup of plaque due to our daily food intake, it must be removed periodically in order to maintain your dental health. If the plaque is not removed, it hardens and transforms into a substance known as tartar. Tartar is extremely harmful due to its irritability and erosive effects on your gums, resulting in gingivitis and unwanted gum diseases. Its harmful effects even extends to the possibility of serious medical complications such as heart diseases, strokes and infections! Hence, by adopting a simple flossing routine, such unwanted situations can be easily avoided!
Flossing Tips And Techniques
Now that we are aware of the benefits of flossing, how do we perform it correctly? This is the most important part as most of us are unaware of the correct techniques to employ, resulting in us not being able to reap the full benefits of flossing. Read the following flossing tips in ensure that you are doing it correctly and your dentist will be more than willing to demonstrate to you personally during your next appointment to answer your queries.
- It is highly recommended by the American Dental Association that one should floss at least once a day.
- The optimal length of floss should be approximately 18 inches. With the floss in hand, wrap in around your 2 middle fingers before using your index finger and thumb to maneuver the floss between your teeth.
- Do not slide or snap the floss directly downwards between the teeth as this would damage the delicate gum tissue, causing unwanted bleeding. A tip would be to gently slide the floss back and forth between the teeth as you maneuver the floss downwards towards the gums.
- Repeat the actions moving upwards and perform steps 2-3 for the remaining teeth.
Common Flossing Mistakes
Some of the common mistakes that people make when flossing is to use excessive force, resulting in bleeding, irritation and inflammation. Instead of achieving a better dental health, they worsen the situation and suffer from unnecessary pain. This is what we want to avoid. If you experience any signs of bleeding, a gentler flossing technique could be adopted. However, if the symptoms show no sign of stopping, we recommend you to make an appointment with a dentist in order to check if there is an underlying problem such as gum infection or tartar build-up.
Dr. Alex Rubinov, who is an experienced dental practitioner in New York can offer a professional opinion on the condition of your dental health and advise you on the necessary steps to take. Contact us at (718) 253-0800 for an appointment today!
