How To Use Oral B Dental Floss ?Flossing is a vital part of your daily oral hygiene routine, but how do you floss back teeth? It’s not as hard as you might think.
Flossing your teeth is an important part of your daily oral hygiene routine. It helps remove food particles and plaque from between the teeth and under the gum line that brushing alone can miss. Flossing also reduces the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
The key to successful flossing is to keep it simple. Use a piece of dental floss about 18 inches long, wrap one end around your middle finger and use your thumb and forefinger to guide the floss between each tooth. Gently slide the floss up and down against each surface in between your teeth until all surfaces are covered.
Flossing is a vital part of your daily oral hygiene routine, but how do you floss back teeth? It’s not as hard as you might think.
Flossing your teeth is an important part of your daily oral hygiene routine. It helps remove food particles and plaque from between the teeth and under the gum line that brushing alone can miss. Flossing also reduces the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
The key to successful flossing is to keep it simple. Use a piece of dental floss about 18 inches long, wrap one end around your middle finger and use your thumb and forefinger to guide the floss between each tooth. Gently slide the floss up and down against each surface in between your teeth until all surfaces are covered.
It’s important to note that when flossing back teeth, you should never force or bend the floss into tight curves as this will cause damage to sensitive gum tissue and lead to bleeding gums. Instead, gently guide it in between each tooth so that it slides easily through the spaces without being bent or twisted by sharp edges or rough surfaces on adjacent teeth.Oral B dental floss is a staple for many people. The company was founded in the 1930s by Dr. Albert F. Schatz, who used his experience as a dentist to develop what would become one of the most popular brand names in the world. Today, Oral B is owned by Procter & Gamble and produces over forty products for oral care, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, and more.
The floss itself is made of nylon and contains fluoride to help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. It comes in a variety of colors, including blue and green. This can help you find it easily if you ever lose it! Read on to learn more How To Floss Back Teeth/why flossing is bad.
How To Use Oral B Dental Floss
Oral-B’s Essential Floss – A compact and user-friendly floss
Our Verdict
8.8/10
- Design and Features
- Durability and Usability
- Price and Value
Pros
- A nice feeling floss when you use it
- It comes in a very compact capsule. It’s easy to seal, and it’s effective when you pull out the floss.
- It does its job and it’s very reasonably priced, representing good value
Cons
- Mushy plaque sometimes gets on my fingers when cleaning the floss between cleans
- Fingers can swell if floss is left wrapped around them. Just something that happens with you floss using the standard product
Technical Details
- DimensionsStands 4.5cm high, 5cm wide
- Notable MaterialsPlastic capsule, nylon used for the floss
- Manufacturing CountryIreland
- Warranty InformationAustralian consumer warranty
Full Review
Today I’m reviewing the Oral-B Essential Floss. It’s a waxed dental floss and it’s the 50-metre amount, made in Ireland.
I just want to run through a few things that I’ve noticed, after using this product, on and off for over two years, maybe even longer. So I’ve had a fair amount of time to assess and test this floss product by Oral-B.
Oral-B Essential Floss – Slimline design
Overall, I’ve found this a very reliable waxed dental floss and it does a great job. It’s very simple in its design, how it’s packed together and the usable functions make it something to seriously consider when wanting to use floss.
Let’s take a detailed look at this product.
Design and Features
This floss comes in a very convenient little round capsule that has a lid that you can open quite easily. It’s got a very good clicking mechanism that is secure and works very, very efficiently. The floss can be drawn out smoothly and extremely conveniently.
The floss is dispensed easily and effortlessly
This floss is able to be cut by a little metal slicer that has been designed in a way so it won’t cut your finger. A simple cutting design that just cuts the floss effortlessly.
Once you cut the floss to your desired length, the cutting tool holds the next lot of floss in place, so you don’t lose it inside the capsule. On occasion, sometimes the floss may fall back inside but it’s easy to retrieve.
Oral-B Essential Floss – The floss cutter holds the floss in place once finished
If you do lose the floss inside, you can open the internal part of the capsule by pushing your two fingers together on the outside, that will dislodge the connection points.
Then you’re able to have a look at the spool of floss. The function is like a sewing machine, you have the spool and it goes inside. I don’t believe Oral B have refills at this stage, but I could be wrong.
A Simple design that dispenses floss easily
The size of the floss is not thick and it fits easily between your teeth. Even if you have really tight teeth, this floss should get in-between most peoples teeth, even the really tight ones. It’s got a little bit of wax coating on the actual floss and this acts as a lubricant to slide between your teeth.
A closer look inside the floss capsule
Length of Floss
The one I’m testing is 50 metres long. I find this is very sufficient for at least… well it depends on how many times you floss your teeth. But on average I do it maybe once a day so 50 metres is more than adequate.
If we look at the figures, if I use it 30cm at a time (say once a day), it’s going to give me 166 days of usage on average. Just over 5 and a half months in total. That’s pretty good value for a few bucks!
Oral-B Essential Floss
Note: I find using floss, coupled with interdental brushes, a really good way of getting any debris and mushy plaque out of in between my teeth. It’ a winning combo in my eyes!
How to Use the Floss
How to floss properly is very important and learning the basic technique will help you improve your dental hygiene as a whole.
Use both index fingers and wrap the floss around each finger
I usually maybe take out 30cms of floss. And then I’ll just sort of wrap each end of the floss around my index fingers and then use that as the leverage between my teeth.
You move it back and forth and jiggling it a little bit in a sideways action. And that seems to do a good job.
A model showing us how to floss your teeth
Sometimes using floss you can, unfortunately, get some mushy plaque and debris on the floss string and then that can get onto your fingers. It can be a little messy but nothing a good wash of your hands can’t fix.
With normal dental floss, you have to wrap the floss around your fingers. So, if you’re not happy with that, maybe another type of flossing product is suitable for you.
Wrapping floss around your index fingers provides sturdy flossing action
If you are definitely not keen about using a standard type of floss product than maybe something with a handle could work. There are quite a few options available. Here is one floss pick by Oral-B that could be an alternative solution for you.
Piksters also make one, called Supa Grip Flosser/Toothpick V1. It’s a great product and worth a try. Plenty of online retailers and stores sell them. Looking at Chemist Warehouse, the Supa Grip V1 has currently 4.9 stars out of 5.
Price and Value
Retailing for the recommended price of $2.99, it’s pretty good value at this price. However, you will find this floss on special a lot of the time. It seems to be trending at around $1.99 at Chemist Warehouse and I have to say that’s GREAT value for 50 metres of floss!
Why Flossing Is Bad
Is flossing harmful? If done improperly, flossing can cause damage to gums, teeth, and dental work, according to the AP investigation. Sometimes, flossing can also cause harmful bacteria to be released into your bloodstream which could lead to an infection.
In recent years there has been much talk within the news (BBC) as to whether flossing really is essential or not.
There are arguments for and against but there does appear to be some level of consensus that flossing or some form of interdental cleaning could be more beneficial than harmful, thus most dentists will continue to advise flossing at least once a day.
So, to avoid a telling off and potentially becoming victim to gum disease and tooth decay, cleaning between your teeth is still worthwhile.
There are lots of different loss products available, so how does the Satin Tape from Oral-B fare in everyday use?
Neatly packaged like most other reels of floss, the Oral-B satin tape comes in a very pocketable turquoise/blue coloured plastic container.
Inside is a reel containing some 25 meters or 27 yards of the 2 layered satin tape. I suggest such a length will typically last the average user 83 days so about 2.5 months
Under the lid is the tape itself that pulls out from the internal reel and a small metal cutter on the end to cut and snap the tape off when you have pulled out the desired length.
Unlike string floss, this satin tape is slightly wider and feels more comfortable when wrapped around the fingers but as it glides along the tooth surface. It is more silky to the touch and offers a smoother sensation.
To me it feels more like it is rubbing the tooth surface and covering more area to in turn remove more plaque, whereas the very thin string can almost feel like it is scraping. It also does not feel like it will cut into the gums as harshly, should you pull the floss a little too hard into the gumline.
When in the mouth and rubbed against the teeth there is an obvious mint flavouring that can offer a renewed freshness to the mouth if all you are doing i flossing.
That freshness does not last as long as most toothpastes, but it is noticeable’ for up to an hour.
The tape is a pale white almost see through at times and feels strong. Throughout my testing I have not had the floss snap on me during and flossing routine.
I like it and it is relatively easy to use, but I do find flossing the back teeth both top and bottom difficult with string floss, trying to get the hands and floss into the mouth and effectively clean in between the teeth. It is for me here where something like the Wisdom Flosser works better as the neck of the flosser reaches into the back of the mouth.
Where floss tape really works well is getting into tight gaps that interdental brushes may struggle with.
With 25m per reel of satin tape, the prices of this Oral-B floss vary from £1.50 to £2.10 per reel from reliable and well known sellers both online and on the high street such as Boots, Asda, Tesco and more. You can buy it now on Amazon.
At the lower end of the price scale is Amazon, you can buy this here, having it delivered right to your door.
There are some outlets that sell the reels in bulk packs, 6-12 packs per time rather than just 1 reel. Buying in this volume can bring small cost savings. As a rough guide, buying 12 reels rather than just 1 could save you another 30p per reel, bringing the cost down to £1.20
Whilst there is no science behind this, I believe on average for each flossing session you will use 30cm/1ft of satin tape.
This means that the 25m reel will offer approximately 83 uses with a cost per floss ranging from as little as 1-2p per use.
The opinion on whether flossing is essential or not is divided, you may indeed have your own view, but personally I think there is more benefit to be gained Oral-B satin tape provides minty fresh clean feeling in a comfortable way and at a price that is sensible to the wallet.
Unlike cheaper string flosses, this tape feels more premium, like it is working with you to give you the best oral hygiene you can achieve.
How To Floss Back Teeth
Flossing your back teeth is a little tricky, but it’s also important to do.
Here’s how to floss your back teeth:
-Take about 18 inches of floss and wrap it around your middle fingers. Hold the floss with one hand, then put the other hand behind your head and bend over at the waist.
-Insert the floss between two teeth on either side of the space where you feel there is food stuck (usually between two molars). Wrap the floss around one side of the tooth, then pull it out and go around to the other side of the tooth. Work in small sections and repeat until all of your teeth are covered in floss.
Flossing is a vital part of your daily oral hygiene routine, but how do you floss back teeth? It’s not as hard as you might think.
Flossing your teeth is an important part of your daily oral hygiene routine. It helps remove food particles and plaque from between the teeth and under the gum line that brushing alone can miss. Flossing also reduces the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
The key to successful flossing is to keep it simple. Use a piece of dental floss about 18 inches long, wrap one end around your middle finger and use your thumb and forefinger to guide the floss between each tooth. Gently slide the floss up and down against each surface in between your teeth until all surfaces are covered.
It’s important to note that when flossing back teeth, you should never force or bend the floss into tight curves as this will cause damage to sensitive gum tissue and lead to bleeding gums. Instead, gently guide it in between each tooth so that it slides easily through the spaces without being bent or twisted by sharp edges or rough surfaces on adjacent teeth.
You know flossing is important, but you just can’t bring yourself to commit to a regular flossing routine. It turns out you’re in good company! According to the ADA, only 16% of Americans floss their teeth at least once a day.
But flossing is incredibly important to your overall oral health and general wellness. Even if you hate flossing, try flossing with one of these three alternatives to keep your smile bright.
Why Does Flossing Matter?
You wouldn’t wash only half your face or scrub grime off half of a dirty dish, yet that’s exactly what you do to your teeth when you skip flossing.
Brushing can only remove plaque and debris from the visible surfaces of your teeth. Flossing is critical to scrape bacteria from in between your teeth. Plaque loves to accumulate in those dark crevices, and only the action of flossing can reach into those tight spaces and remove plaque, bacteria, sugar, and acids.
The Dangers of Not Flossing
If you’re serious about keeping your mouth as healthy as possible, flossing isn’t optional. It’s the only way to remove plaque from between the teeth. When plaque has the opportunity to accumulate around the teeth and gums, serious problems may occur.
This sticky film of bacteria accumulates everywhere it can, including on your teeth, between your teeth, and below the gum line. Plaque is technically a microbial biofilm that contains a diverse range of bacteria strong enough to resist antimicrobial agents and continue thriving in the dark crevices of the mouth.
If your brushing and flossing habits fail to remove plaque from your teeth and gums on a regular basis, the sticky substance hardens into tartar. This doesn’t take long- even just one day of plaque accumulation can morph into hard tartar crystals as minerals in your saliva combine with the plaque.
Tartar, also known as dental calculus, isn’t sticky or colorless like plaque. It’s a hard, crusty, yellow or brown substance that bonds harshly to your teeth. This makes tartar difficult to remove and highlights the importance of preventing it altogether. There’s no way around it: plaque and tartar both pose serious threats to your teeth, gums, and overall health.
Plaque’s acidic base slowly but surely eats away at your tooth enamel and destroys the healthy structure of your teeth. Cavities offer the first warning sign of plaque damage. While one isolated cavity might not be too bad, the ongoing presence of plaque eventually causes more serious problems like gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease.
If tartar continues to accumulate and your gingivitis is left untreated, it progresses into the more severe form of gum disease called periodontitis. More than 64 million American adults have periodontitis defined by the following signs:
- Pockets between the gums and the teeth
- Recurring gum abscesses
- Loose and shifting teeth
- Receding gums
- Tooth loss
- Degeneration of the jawbone
The good news, at least, is that flossing is an easy yet powerful way to fight against plaque, reduce tartar, and keep your smile intact.
Three Flossing Alternatives That Still Work
It’s okay if you hate traditional floss; you’re definitely not alone. Try one of these three flossing alternatives instead to efficiently remove bacteria from between your teeth.
Water Flossers
Water flossing offers a simple way to floss without thin floss thread. This type of handheld device removes plaque by spraying streams of water between the teeth. The steady pressure of water directed to the space between each tooth effectively targets food debris, sugar, bacteria, and other substances.
For best results, choose a water flosser with the ADA’s Seal of Acceptance. The ADA Seal f Acceptance confirms the flosser has been tested to prove its safety and efficacy. Research shows that ADA-approved water flossers reduce the risk of gingivitis.
Interdental Brushes
Not a fan of water flossers? Perhaps interdental brushes will do the trick for you instead. These thin, cone-shaped brushes are designed with wire and bristles, making them easy to insert gently between the teeth.
Interdental brushes are available in many different shapes and sizes, so you can select the type that works best with the alignment of your teeth. You shouldn’t have to force interdental brushes between your teeth; they should fit comfortably between each space to remove plaque buildup.
Many people who favor interdental brushes have difficulty maneuvering normal floss or need to navigate around metal braces.
Tape Floss
Tape floss offers another creative solution for people determined to avoid conventional floss. Dental tape is unique because it has a wide, flat surface compared to the thin cord of normal floss. Most tape floss is made of waxed nylon or polythene fiber.
The flat surface of dental tape is easy to pass between the teeth and under the gumline, so it’s just as effective as any other form of flossing. Many people prefer tape floss for its ease-of-use; it rarely snaps or pinches gum tissue.