Are You Making These Flossing Mistakes?
Posted on: 20 November 2020
It doesn't matter how diligent you are when you brush your teeth. It is impossible to reach all areas of your mouth. This is why it is so important that flossing is part of your oral care regimen. Flossing helps to ensure that you keep the area between your teeth and below the gumline clean, reducing the overall risk of developing gingivitis and cavities. However, some people make mistakes when they floss. Are you making them? Read on to find out.
Failing to Floss at the Appropriate Time
While there is not necessarily a bad time to floss, there are certain times when flossing is better or should not be avoided. For instance, when you sleep, the production of saliva significantly decreases, which means that any food particles that are left in between and on the teeth are more likely to begin the process of bacterial breakdown, leading to tooth decay and inflammation of the gums. For this reason, it is imperative that you make sure to floss before hitting the sheets each night.
Failing to Brush and Floss in the Correct Order
It is good to floss at any time, but when it comes to brushing and flossing, it is recommended to actually floss first. The reason for this is because you will remove the plaque from between your teeth, which allows the fluoride in the toothpaste to coat the space between your teeth.
Failing to Use the Proper Amount of Floss
When you floss your teeth, if you do not use enough floss, then you will be unable to perform a thorough job with your flossing. It is important that you have a sufficient amount of floss to wrap around your fingers so that you can use a clean piece of floss each time that you go to floss a tooth. It is generally recommended to use a piece that is roughly 18 inches long.
Failing to Floss the Entire Tooth
When you floss, it is important that you use the string to wrap the entire tooth. In doing so, you will be able to clean the whole tooth instead of just in between your teeth. To this correctly, you should contour your piece of floss around your tooth so that it is shaped like the letter C, and then slide it up and down. You should also make sure to rub the piece of floss against the back of your tooth.
By avoiding the aforementioned mistakes, you can work towards a better oral care regimen as well as improved oral health. For more information about flossing or what else a dentist might recommend, contact a local dental office.
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