You can’t go to a dentist without them asking you whether you floss or not, and we all give a variation of the guilty answer. You can understand how someone might be questioning whether flossing really is that essential, or just a ploy to get more money from patients. Here’s a look at what flossing actually accomplishes, and what happens when you skip it
What brushing misses
Your toothbrush does a decent job of clearing debris off of the front, back and chewing surface of your teeth, but the contact point between two adjacent teeth is a location where plaque can accumulate, unseen by the bristles of your brush
What flossing removes
Flossing removes plaque and debris from the contact points between teeth, as well as the sides of the teeth at the gumline, in that area. If not removed completely, this plaque can harden into tartar after just a few days, which cannot be removed by flossing, requiring professional cleaning. Flossing prevents this from being able to occur by removing plaque before it can harden into tartar
Consequences of not flossing
Not flossing occasionally won’t hurt you, but leaving plaque on the contact points between your teeth regularly can have harmful consequences. This can lead to cavities forming on the contact points between your teeth, and cause inflammation to the gums surrounding that area, which may bleed, feel tender to the touch, or even appear puffy
Do I really need to floss everyday?
It is recommended that you floss, or use another method of interdental cleaning, everyday, as plaque begins to regrow hours after cleaning. It is more important that you floss regularly rather than perfectly, and missing a day here and there won’t hurt nearly as much as skipping flossing all together
Proper flossing technique and alternatives
Flossing incorrectly can be more harmful than not flossing at all, so it is best to know the correct way to floss
- Make sure to use a gentle back and forth sawing motion to guide the floss through your teeth,
- curve the floss around each tooth in a C shape and slide it up and under your gums
- use a new section of floss for each gap between your teeth
- and
- avoid forcing the floss between your teeth, as this can cause damage to your gums.
If you have trouble with flossing, an interdental brush or water pick may be recomended for you, depending on how large the gaps are between your teeth
Bleeding gums aren’t too worrying if you haven’t been flossing regularly, but it’s best to figure out why it’s happening.
Bleeding gums during flossing are common if you haven’t been flossing regularly and your gums are inflamed. This is usually nothing to worry about as the inflammation should decrease once you continue to floss regularly, and the bleeding should stop. However, if this is not the case, and bleeding persists for a few weeks, or worsens, it is best to have your gums checked to make sure nothing is wrong, rather than believing it to be something that will go away on it’s own
Reasons why flossing everyday matters, even if you get your teeth cleaned by a dentist
Some people believe that if they get their teeth professionally cleaned, there is no need to floss everyday
This isn’t true, as while having your teeth cleaned does remove tartar from your teeth, and can clean some of the plaque from areas your brush and floss can’t reach, it also puts your teeth through a draining process, which isn’t healthy to go through regularly. Flossing everyday prevents plaque from ever having the chance to harden into tartar, which then needs to be removed by the dentist, wasting both your time and money.
While flossing everyday is ideal, it is more important to floss regularly than to floss every single day. If you are concerned whether your flossing technique is adequate to keep your teeth clean, or it is causing your gums to bleed, visiting the dentist to have your gums checked can help eliminate any concerns, and give you advice specific to your teeth. Getting your teeth scaled and polished at Mumtaj Dental Care can also help by removing any existing plaque or tarter buildup, leaving your teeth clean for easier home maintenance.
