Flossing, Quality Oral Health

Recently it’s been reported that flossing is not considered a necessary practice for quality oral health. However, those at the ADA (American Dental Association) deem this not to be the case, and in fact are still in full support of the practice of flossing at least once daily. Flossing is an important practice, because it helps to remove the plaque buildup from the space between the teeth, the spaces too narrow for toothbrush bristles to clean adequately. If plaque is not dealt with, it can lead to gum disease such as gingivitis, or the even more devastating periodontal disease, if the gingivitis is not dealt with promptly.

Flossing Routine

Flossing is a necessary practice, and for those of you who haven’t yet added it to their daily oral care routine, here’s how it is performed. If you have a spool of floss, regardless the width of the strip—floss comes narrow or thick, flavored, unflavored, etc.—peel free from the spool about eighteen inches—make eighteen inches your minimum, if you go over slightly, it’s nothing to worry about. Wind the floss around either your pointer fingers, or your middle fingers, and then grip the strand running between your fingers with your thumbs. Angle the open strand of floss into a space between teeth—it’s easier to begin in a central location so that you don’t forget your starting location—and then gently rub the floss up and down, back and forth in the space between the teeth, cleaning from the gum line upward. Be patient, and don’t jerk the floss back and forth, and don’t jam the floss into the gum tissue. Continue this process in each space between teeth, then discard the floss. Do this once daily—and it doesn’t matter if you floss before or after you brush, just that it gets performed.

When you start a flossing routine, you may notice some initial bleeding at the gumline, maybe some redness, because the gum tissue needs to toughen up, so to speak, get used to the gentle abrasion of the floss; and, these symptoms should subside within a week or two.

If you have any questions about flossing, or just need to schedule your next appointment, call Premier Dental and make your next appointment today.