We all know how important flossing is, but did you know that it's possible to floss incorrectly? It's not enough to just aimlessly floss around a few of your teeth and hope for the best — you need to ensure that you're using the correct technique. If not, you might not be removing all the plaque, debris and bacteria that build up on your teeth. Read on to learn about three of the most common flossing mistakes and how you can avoid them.
Not flossing both sides of teeth
When you floss, do you consciously focus on one tooth at a time, or just slide the floss up and down without much of a plan? It's important to focus on one tooth at a time when flossing the gaps between your teeth. If not, you'll only be removing bacteria from one tooth, while the tooth on the other side of the gap could still be covered in plaque. You need to view each tooth as a separate entity to floss, rather than approaching one gap at a time.
Using the same section of floss
Do you try to be frugal with your floss? Unfortunately, reusing the same section of floss over and over means that you're spreading bacteria around your mouth. Since floss is so effective at getting into small gaps, it could introduce bacteria to areas where it wouldn't naturally occur — not good. Switching to a clean section of floss each time you move to a new tooth allows you to remove buildup without introducing any new bacteria. If you often find yourself running out of floss and reusing sections, cut a piece much longer than you think you'll need. At the end of your flossing section, measure how much you actually used, and use that as a rule for future flossing sessions.
Stopping if your gums bleed
Do you give up on flossing at the first sign of blood? That's understandable, but it's actually a mistake. It's natural for your gum tissue to become inflamed if you haven't flossed in a while, and that's not a reason to stop. As you continue flossing, your gum health should improve, and you'll stop seeing blood. If you think that the blood is a result of flossing too vigorously, make an effort to be more gentle. You should be applying firm pressure to the sides of teeth, but not to your gums.
Want to get the full benefits of flossing? Make sure you aren't making these rookie mistakes. Ask your dentist for additional advice.
Share1 August 2017
Hi! Welcome to my blog! My name is Kerry, and this blog is focused on dental fillings. It looks at the history of fillings, options for contemporary fillings, how to protect your fillings, when to replace them and much more. If you have ever had a cavity filled or if you are planning to get a tooth filled, you will find the information in this blog useful. I try to look at fillings from all angles, and I even plan to look at how to avoid fillings through proper dental hygiene and sealants. Thanks for reading, and I hope you find the info intellectually "filling."
