We get it. Flossing just isn’t that fun. In fact, as you’ll read below, up to half of all Americans don’t floss as often as they should.
However, since flossing helps protect you from oral infections, bad breath, gum disease and more, we can’t encourage people to skip the floss. It’s too essential to good oral health!
Take a look at these 12 things you may not know about flossing and maybe you will change your mind about it – and your dentist near Forked River will be glad you did!
Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-woman-wearing-blue-zip-up-jacket-1090387/
- Some dental experts recommend flossing before you brush rather than after, to help the fluoride from your toothpaste get in between your teeth. However, there is still some debate over whether this actually has any impact or not. The most important thing is, most dentists agree that you floss.
- If your gums bleed when you floss, you may be doing it improperly or at irregular intervals. The trick is that regular flossing with a good technique is essential.
- If you are not using a clean stretch of floss for each tooth, you risk moving bacteria from one tooth to another!
- Floss comes in flavors for those who need a little boost to get themselves flossing. You can find all the expected flavors – mint, fruit, and even bacon. Yes, bacon flavored floss!
- If you have bridgework or wider than average spaces in between your teeth, it might be beneficial to use wide floss, also known as dental tape. This will give you better coverage so they remain cleaner and healthier.
- If you have closely spaced teeth, think about using waxed floss, which can be easier to slide between your teeth.
- Listen for the squeak: You can actually tell when unwaxed floss is sliding against clean teeth by the sound. This is your clue that plaque has been removed!
- Only about half of all Americans floss on a daily basis, and 18 percent don’t floss at all, according to the American Dental Association.
- 27 percent of people LIE about how much they floss!
- Any discomfort you experience when flossing usually disappears after the first week or so of regular flossing. It’s normal for it to feel “odd” when you first start, but that quickly goes away as long as you make it part of your routine.
- If using floss feels weird to you, ask your hygienist about other options. There are a number of products that can provide the same sort of cleaning, including rubber-tips cleaners, pre-threaded flossers, tiny brushes, and more.
- Waterpicks are NOT a replacement for dental floss because they do not remove plaque. They are for cleaning braces, but should not be used instead of flossing.
If you want to learn more about the importance of flossing, good flossing techniques, and how we can help, reach out to us at 609-698-1155 to set up an appointment with our hygienist.
Tags: dental care, floss, flossing, Southern Ocean County