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You know you need to brush at least twice a day, and you do a great job of sticking to your routine.
When it comes to flossing, though, you may be a little lax.
In fact, if you’re honest, you probably don’t floss as often as you should – if at all.
Guess what? You’re not alone. Many patients struggle with flossing, in part because it’s not the easiest thing to do and because it’s kind of boring.
Flossing is a manual way to remove plaque and food particles between the teeth and below the gumline. Floss reaches the surfaces of the teeth that a toothbrush can’t.
To understand why flossing is important, we need to understand the anatomy of your teeth and gums. The teeth consist of two parts:
The gum tissue covers the jawbone. You have ligaments that connect the root of the tooth to the alveolar bone. Healthy gum tissue and ligaments hold the tissue tight against the root of the teeth. However, you can slide a piece of floss between the tooth and the gum tissue about one to three millimeters to keep the healthy “pockets” (the space between the tooth and gum) healthy.
If you don’t floss or floss irregularly, plaque and food particles will start to build up in that healthy, one-to-three-millimeter pocket. Eventually, the pocket will get deeper because the gums will recede from the tooth, creating a deeper pocket.
Deeper pockets hold more plaque and food particles. As time passes, the plaque calcifies, becoming tartar (also called calculus). You can think of tartar like a sliver. If you don’t remove the tartar, it irritates the delicate gum tissue because plaque/tartar contains bacteria.
The result is sore, red, inflamed, puffy, and even bleeding gums. The pockets will get deeper without attention, and the gums will continue to recede. At this point, you have gum disease.
If gum disease progresses, it damages the periodontal ligaments, gum tissue, and bone. Left untreated, it can cause gum infections and lead to tooth loss.
Thankfully, you can prevent gum (periodontal) disease with regular flossing.
In addition to dental issues, there is a link between periodontal disease and more severe health conditions like heart disease. People with gum disease are at an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, pregnancy complications, and even dementia.
Your Downey dentist recommends flossing once a day. Plaque builds up very quickly – every time you eat! If you eat sugary foods, the plaque will build up even faster. And depending on a variety of factors (crowded teeth, periodontal condition, the body’s mineral levels, and certain bacteria), plaque can develop into tartar rather quickly.
You cannot remove tartar with floss or a toothbrush. Only a dental professional with specialized instruments can remove it. Therefore, to reduce the risk of damaged oral tissues, it’s imperative to remove plaque when it is still soft and easily manageable and is an essential dental homecare practice.
How you floss matters just as much as how often you floss. Proper flossing techniques, for example, can help you remove plaque more thoroughly, thereby keeping your gum tissue healthy. Here are some more dental homecare and flossing tips from your Downey dentist.
If you have a hard time flossing, don’t just assume you should quit. You can find several types of floss aids that make flossing so much easier. Talk to your Downey dentist about the floss and floss aids they recommend (not all floss aids are created equal) and which they think will fit your needs best.
For those who have better dexterity, utilizing the best techniques will help you remove as much plaque as possible. Most dental healthcare providers recommend the C-shaped flossing technique.
Using about 18 inches of floss, wrap each end around your middle finger. Don’t wrap it so tight that you cut off the blood circulation. You want to end up with just enough floss to slide between the teeth.
Holding the floss with your thumb and pointer finger, gently shimmy the floss between your teeth. Once it’s through the contact, hug one side of the tooth with the floss and again, gently slide the floss down between the gum and the tooth until you reach the base of the pocket.
Move the floss up and down about four times. Then, repeat with the adjacent tooth.
Avoid snapping the floss between the teeth as it can injure the gum tissue. Also, don’t use a sawing motion when you’re below the gumline. It’s not as effective as moving the floss up and down the tooth, and it can also irritate the gums.
Plaque has bacteria in it. Therefore, used floss will have bacteria on it, too. When you’ve used your floss for the day, toss it in the trash. Don’t use it again. Always start with fresh floss.
Similarly, the reason you use 18 inches of floss is that you want to move down the floss and use a new section of it for each tooth. Doing this will help you avoid reintroducing plaque and bacteria into other gum pockets.
Once you have the proper flossing technique down, you don’t need to watch yourself in the mirror constantly. Instead, try flossing while you’re doing something else, like watching TV or streaming a movie on your iPad.
Preoccupying your mind with another activity will make the time you spend flossing fly by. It will make flossing a bit more fun, too. Because of this, you’re more likely to stick to your flossing routine.
It is startling and worrisome when you notice your gums bleeding. Don’t be alarmed – this is something your Downey dentist can help remedy.
Sometimes, bleeding is a sign that you have gingivitis. With daily flossing and regular dental check-ups, you can reverse gingivitis and prevent the harmful effects of gum disease.
In other cases, bleeding gums is a sign of:
Even some medications (like blood thinners) can contribute to bleeding gums. Contact your Downey dentist if you notice bleeding gums that don’t resolve within a few days.
Good oral hygiene will help you keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible. When you have healthy teeth and gums, you’ll reduce your risk of dental diseases, expensive dental treatments, and even tooth loss. Plus, healthy teeth and gums are the most critical keys to a gorgeous smile!
Has it been a while since your last dental visit? Contact our team to schedule your next cleaning appointment.
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