The Most Common Flossing Mistakes That You Should Avoid

Dentist Blog

People often leave flossing out of their daily oral hygiene routine. However, this is a vital activity if you are to maintain your gums and teeth in a healthy state. On its own, brushing is not sufficient for removing bacteria and food debris from the mouth and from between the teeth. The fact is that floss can reach into those awkward areas between the teeth and at the rear of the mouth. However, if you do floss but don't use the right technique, this can be problematic too.   

The Most Common Mistakes with Flossing

1. Overlooking the teeth at the rear of the mouth. During any flossing session, it is important not to focus only on the teeth at the front of the mouth because they are easy to reach. It is just as vital to reach into those ones at the back too. This ensures that plaque-causing bacteria and leftover food particles are removed from the areas you haven't reached with your toothbrush.
2. Forgetting to rotate the floss at each cleaning area. The whole point of flossing is to ensure all food debris and bacteria is removed from the areas between the teeth. If floss is not rotated at every tooth, the existing food debris and bacteria is just being returned to the mouth. 
3. Being overly aggressive with floss. Some teeth are spaced more tightly than others, so there can be a tendency to be more aggressive with the floss in these tight spaces. However, it is best and more effective to work the floss up and down gently around each tooth. Just follow the tooth's curve, so as not to cut the gum or break the floss. If you use a side-to-side aggressive action, notches can develop in the teeth's roots over time.  
4. Deciding not to floss if gums are bleeding. Sometimes, your gums can bleed, especially if good oral hygiene is not being maintained on a regular basis. Bleeding of the gums can be a sign of gingivitis, one of the earliest stages of periodontal disease. However, this stage of the disease is reversible. If there are traces of blood, you should carry on flossing in a gentle manner, and rinse your mouth with warm salted water. The inflammation will reduce as the bacteria and the cause of bleeding is removed.   
5. Neglecting to floss altogether. This is the worst possible mistake. Those who have never bothered with flossing are fortunate not to have had tooth decay or other problems. However, although you may get away with it for a while, there is an increased possibility of getting periodontal disease as you age. 

Conclusion

It is best not to wait for dental problems to start. It is important to floss every day and to do it properly. This is the foundation of good dental health. The key is to floss correctly and gently every day. And don't leave any teeth out if you want to keep all of them!  Consult a dentist, like Dr. Sudharani V Chary, as you get started.

24 November 2014