Dental floss is an often overlooked but extremely important care tool to protect our oral health. While brushing teeth cleans the surfaces of the teeth, flossing removes food residues and plaque accumulated in the narrow spaces between the teeth. These are difficult spots in this area that the brush cannot reach, and the bacteria that accumulate intermittently here can cause tooth decay and gum damage. Therefore, just brushing our teeth does not fully protect our oral health. In addition, we must use mouthwash and dental floss for our oral hygiene.
Flossing should become an important part of your oral care routine. You should use it regularly, especially to prevent problems such as gingivitis and caries. It effectively cleans the plaque and bacterial deposits formed in the areas between the teeth compared to toothbrushes. Dental floss also helps keep breath fresh and helps prevent bad breath. In short, flossing is the key to improving not only your teeth, but your entire oral health.
What is Dental Floss?
It is an oral care tool made of thin, usually nylon or teflon material, used to clean plaque and food residues accumulated in narrow spaces between the teeth. Unlike tooth brushing, dental floss penetrates between the teeth and cleans difficult areas that the brush cannot reach. Food and plaque accumulated in these areas can lead to tooth decay, gingivitis and other serious problems over time. If you use rope, you can mostly prevent these.
In addition to keeping gums healthy, it also helps prevent bad breath. Cleaning plaque deposits prevents the formation of bacteria in the mouth and provides fresh breath. Flossing is a complement to the tooth brushing routine. Flossing correctly at least once a day helps you have healthier teeth and gums in the long run. This simple but effective habit is a simple and very important step in maintaining oral health.
Benefits of Flossing
It is a basic and indispensable part of maintaining oral health. Plaque accumulated between teeth can cause gum disease and tooth decay over time. By effectively cleaning these plaques, dental floss keeps the gums healthy and prevents gum inflammation. Food residues, especially those accumulated in the narrow spaces between the teeth, pave the way for the formation of cavities. You should not forget to use dental floss to clean these residues, protect your teeth from decay and protect your oral health in the long term. It also provides fresher breath by eliminating food residues that can cause bad breath.
This simple but effective habit is an excellent way to prevent bad breath and maintain general oral hygiene. Dental floss also penetrates areas that a toothbrush cannot reach and cleans your teeth more thoroughly.
How to Floss
It may seem a little challenging at first, but with the right technique it becomes quite easy and effective.
First, you need to choose a dental floss that suits you. Dental floss comes in waxed, unwaxed, flavored, and different thicknesses. If there is a lot of space between your teeth, choose thick threads. If your teeth are tight, thin thread will be more suitable.
Before use, cut a rope about 45 cm long. This length is enough for you to hold it comfortably with your fingers. Hold the rope with both hands, wrap it around your fingers and tighten the rope to prepare to use it in a controlled manner.
Then, gently place it between your teeth. Use the floss in a “C” shape around the teeth, rather than in a straight line. Move the floss up and down, resting it against the lateral surface of the tooth. Be careful not to apply too much pressure to avoid damaging your gums.
Clean each tooth one by one. Be sure to clean both sides, using the floss between each tooth. In this way, you clean the bacteria and food debris surrounding your teeth.
After cleaning for each tooth, continue cleaning by cutting a new section. Bacteria from the old section can transfer to your new teeth, so it’s better if you use a fresh floss each time…
Pay Attention to These!
First of all, you must be gentle when using the rope. Do not apply too much pressure to avoid damaging your gums. Pulling your gums or making straining movements can cause inflammation and sensitivity. If you feel some sensitivity while flossing, this may be normal at first, but if pain or bleeding continues, it is a good idea to visit your dentist.
Never think like I’m using dental floss and I shouldn’t brush my teeth. While flossing cleans between your teeth, brushing only cleans the tooth surfaces. So doing both procedures regularly gives the best results for your oral health. Another important point is not to forget to clean each tooth. Be sure to thread the floss on both sides of the teeth. Missing some gaps between teeth can lead to plaque buildup and oral health problems. You can provide complete oral care by using it carefully between each tooth.
