Cleaning your teeth with your toothbrush is just one small part of proper dental practice; cleaning the spaces along your gums and between your teeth using dental floss completes your routine for great oral hygiene. Flossing should be as basic as brushing your teeth, and yet it is not practiced often.

What is a dental floss?

Floss is a thin thread that is used to remove the debris of food stuck between your teeth. Your toothbrush only cleans to a particular point, while floss ensures a good oral hygiene.

Don’t confuse flossing with brushing; you cannot floss instead of brushing, it is important that you brush your teeth daily because it protects your teeth from gum disease and tooth decay. When you add flossing to brushing your teeth, you are ensuring that your gums and teeth have an extra level of care and protection.

Types of floss available on the market

  • Waxed
  • Unwaxed
  • Teflon
  • Flavoured
  • Dental Tape
  • Teflon

 

People who have arthritis tend to find it hard to floss, but there are aids referred to as a flossing handles or electric flossers that can help in maintaining a great oral hygiene.

Why should you floss?

Prevention of gum disease and tooth decay is very important; using floss helps you to remove food particles from the spaces between your teeth, and when you brush your teeth, your teeth and gums are all protected from the plaque which is the genesis of gum disease and tooth decay.

How does flossing protect against tooth decay and gum disease?

Starch and Sugar residue combined with bacteria that is in the mouth form plaque, which in turn releases acids that cause a cavity in the tooth. If you want to prevent the formation of plaque, always ensure that you brush and floss your teeth after every meal.

Daily Dental Hygiene

This means that you should brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss and use mouthwash afterward. Having a good dental routine, you will prevent your teeth from the risk of gum diseases and tooth decay. Additionally, you are going to prevent yourself from bad breath, teeth that are uneven and finally avoid missing teeth which can cause a lower self-esteem.

It is important to form good dental practices from a young age. This translates to educating your children about good dental practice and showing them the correct way to do so. This includes educating your children on the importance of reducing sugary foods intake, increasing the frequency of brushing their teeth and making frequent visits to the dentist.

We would like to welcome you to Acadian Family Dental, your clinic of choice when it comes to your family’s dental care. We are here to help you maintain a great dental practice throughout the year. If you have any inquiries, kindly call us at 713 681-7885 or send us an email at acadiandental@gmail.com, we are happy to help.