When to use dental floss

The gaps between teeth often contain a lot of food debris, dirt and bacteria that people cannot clean. If these residues stay in the teeth for a long time, they will gradually corrode people's teeth. Many people think that they can use toothpicks to clean the gaps between teeth, but toothpicks will gradually make the gaps between teeth larger, so they should not be used frequently. There is no such concern when using dental floss. So when do you usually use dental floss?

Flossing is very beneficial and should be done every night after brushing your teeth.

Regarding the use of dental floss:

Dental plaque mostly accumulates on the adjacent surfaces of teeth and the gum margins, and these areas become prone to caries and periodontal disease. Brushing teeth can generally only clean the buccal and buccal-lingual surfaces of the teeth, and it is difficult to remove plaque on the adjacent surfaces. Therefore, some special interdental cleaners such as dental floss, toothpicks, etc. are needed to make up for the shortcomings of brushing teeth. Most foreign experts recommend that dental flossing should be started around the age of 12, after most permanent teeth have erupted. Flossing is the best way to remove plaque between teeth.

When to floss?

For most people, flossing once a day is enough, and the best time to use it is recommended after dinner and before going to bed. You can floss before or after brushing your teeth, but make sure to rinse your mouth after flossing to flush out any loose debris.

How to choose dental floss?

Dental floss is available in all dental supply stores. It is made of cotton, linen, silk, nylon or polyester. It may be waxed or unwaxed, and may also contain fragrances or fluoride.

Look for dental floss that has mint or other flavors you enjoy, or those that have fluoride and other antibacterial ingredients.

If the dental floss will be worn or torn into thin strips when passing through the tight spaces between teeth, you can choose waxed or coated dental floss.

If flossing makes you gag, try some other cleaning methods. (For large gaps between teeth, an interdental brush or toothpick is more appropriate)

For some people who have difficulty flossing with their hands, a small dental floss holder can be used.

How to use dental floss?

1. Take a 45 cm piece of thread and wrap the end around the middle fingers of both hands, leaving 5-7 cm between the two fingers.

2. Use your thumb and index finger to hold the dental floss tightly, leaving a 3 cm width.

3. Gently slide the dental floss back and forth between the teeth until it passes the contact point.

4. Wrap the dental floss around a tooth in a "C" shape, keep it close to the tooth surface, and gently remove the plaque.

5. Pull the dental floss out of the gap between the teeth and wrap more of it around your finger, leaving a clean section of dental floss exposed.

6. Repeat the above steps to clean the tooth surface of the next tooth, and complete the entire mouth in sequence.

For older patients or those whose periodontal tissues between teeth have atrophied, flossing is very convenient and effective. However, it is not suitable for patients who are too young, have enlarged gingival papillae between teeth, have short crowns, or have unevenly arranged teeth that are crowded together.