In the modern world, a beautiful smile is not a gift of nature, but the efforts of the person himself. If a few decades ago, even, white teeth were a sign of only good genetics, today this gift is available to everyone. It is only important to properly take care of the oral cavity, regularly visit your dentist for preventive purposes and choose modern means of caries prevention. One of these is dental floss, or floss. It remains only to understand what it is, how often to use dental floss, whether it is reasonable to use it at all.
What is flossing?
The habit of brushing your teeth is instilled in a child in early childhood with the advent of the first tooth. However, not every adult brushes his teeth strictly twice a day, in the morning and before bed. The use of dental floss is also questioned.
Moreover, not everyone knows what it is, let alone how to properly floss. But this is not just an ordinary sewing thread, which can bebrush your teeth. Dental floss, or floss, is a specially formulated oral care product that removes plaque from interdental spaces.
Frequency of flossing
Dentists insist on regular use: better every night before bed. However, if this is not possible, then for prevention, floss twice a week, at least.
There is often debate about when to floss - before brushing or after? Dentists and users themselves did not come to a consensus. Before cleaning, use a thread or after - it's up to you. The only consensus is that regular flossing is the best prevention of caries.
Relevance for flossing
Modern medicine has stepped forward a lot. Including in dentistry. Today, many means and methods have been developed for high-quality dental hygiene. Just cleaning is not enough. After all, a toothbrush only cleans the surface of the tooth.
Interdental space with particles of food, plaque and bacteria, which lead to caries in the future, is beyond her power. This is where flossing comes in handy. Without the use of a floss, plaque and bacteria accumulate in the interdental space, enamel oxidizes, which leads to caries. Daily use of floss significantly reduces the risk of tooth loss, calculus development and various oral diseases. You just need to choose the right one.
Varieties of dental floss
Varietytypes of floss makes it possible to choose the most suitable one for yourself, based on the individual characteristics of the structure of the oral cavity, the presence of implants or crowns, etc. Indeed, in order to prevent caries, it is important not only to have it available, but also to know how to use dental floss.
- Round shape is suitable for people with a wide interdental space. A person with tight-fitting teeth will need a flat one.
- There are threads containing various impregnations and medicines for additional disinfection and aromatization of the oral cavity.
- Waxed and non-waxed floss offer different levels of interdental cleaning. Waxed slips easier, but cleans worse. Unwaxed works better, but is not suitable for those who have just started using it.
- The division has a place to be in composition. Natural - from silk and synthetic - from nylon and teflon. Natural thread is more pleasant to use, but breaks faster. Preference today is more often given to synthetic nylon thread.
The dental industry is very developed today. There are quite a few floss manufacturers. Such as: ICEDENT, Splat, Oral-B and others. Each manufacturer gives not only a detailed description of their product in terms of floss quality, structure, thickness, but also offers instructions on how to use dental floss. Oral-B, for example, even draw a diagram of the correct application.
Rules for flossing
In order not to damage the gums,you need to know some of the nuances. Moreover, there are a number of recommendations on how to floss effectively and safely:
- First, you need to measure 40-50 cm of thread and wind it around your middle fingers, so that about 10 cm remains. It is with this part that you need to clean your teeth from plaque.
- The procedure must be carried out with “up and down” movements from one tooth to another.
- For a more thorough cleaning, you can wind the floss around the tooth and clean it in a circular motion. The thread needs to be wound a little behind the gum. But you have to be extremely careful not to hurt her.
- Clean each tooth with a clean piece of floss, avoiding the “dirty” gap to get into another part of the oral cavity. This is necessary to avoid spreading bacteria from a not quite he althy tooth to the rest.
- You can clean the interdental space only with smooth up and down movements.
- Maybe not right away. But you need to be patient and do everything at a slow pace, as carefully as possible. After a while, everything will happen automatically, just like brushing your teeth.
- Always use fresh thread and discard used thread. The used thread is a breeding ground for bacteria and pathogenic flora.
- Always combine flossing and brushing. Do not violate the rules described in the instructions for a particular product, regulating how to use dental floss. This affects the he alth of your teeth and gums. At the end of cleaning, it would be nice to use a disinfectant rinse.
Contraindications for use
Before using floss, you need to consult a dentist. Despite all the benefits of using, there are cases when flossing is contraindicated. If there are problems with the gums, such as bleeding or periodontal disease, then floss should not be used. You can aggravate the condition of the gums and even lose a tooth. Also in case there are implants, crowns or veneers. Only a dentist will give competent advice regarding hygiene in each case.
Use floss and floss
For those who find the use of dental floss difficult and not very convenient, we have come up with devices that facilitate the cleaning process. You can apply them in the same way as using dental floss. If flossing seems tedious, you can use a dental floss. This is a device that resembles a toothbrush, but with a thread instead of bristles. The procedure becomes much more convenient, but the pleasure is not cheap. Every time it runs out of thread, the entire set must be thrown away.
Another device - flossik - a special frame made of plastic with nylon thread. It is also designed for more convenient cleaning of the interdental space. But with the help of a floss, cleansing is not so effective, and sometimes traumatic. The choice is very large and remains only for the consumer. The main thing is to take care of your beautiful smile and he alth.
Is dental floss really necessary, as it is presented?
Toothbrush will get rid of food residue surfaceteeth. The brush will also remove plaque. But the interdental space, as already mentioned, is not accessible to the brush. After all, even the thinnest bristles are not able to penetrate between the teeth. Toothpicks can damage both enamel and gums and are generally not recommended.
But the remnants of food, plaque and bacteria are all seedlings for the formation of tartar, the development of carious cavities, and increased acidity. Ultimately, the entire oral cavity suffers. But this can lead to more serious problems with the digestive organs and the gastrointestinal tract. Obviously, the only solution is a full range of hygiene procedures. Daily brushing, flossing and mouthwash.
Floss in this chain is the most important element that cannot be missed. You just need to understand how often you need to use dental floss, take into account the individual characteristics of the teeth, the presence of braces or implants, the sensitivity of the gums. Based on all this, the dentist will help you choose the right dental floss based on your specific situation. And only a doctor can give correct recommendations on how to use dental floss (Oral, for example). After all, the main thing here is to keep your teeth he althy for many years, and the entire oral cavity as a whole.
