Flossing is a very important part of your oral health care routine. It helps to remove food particles and plaque from between your teeth, which can lead to gum disease if left untreated. But sometimes it’s difficult to get the floss between your teeth, especially if you have braces or other orthodontic appliances on your teeth. That’s where a dental floss pick comes in!
A dental floss pick is a small plastic device that looks like a miniature fork and has pointed tines at one end. You can use the pick to help guide floss through those tight spots between your teeth.
Read on to learn more about How To Use Dental Floss Pick, Effective and Gentle Cleaning with Dental Floss
How To Use Dental Floss Pick
Flossing is vital to maintaining oral health, preventing gum disease, and removing food stuck in teeth, yet less than half of Americans say they floss at least once a day, and 20% say they never floss at all. Even if you’re already flossing regularly, using proper technique will ensure your flossing is effective. Flossing incorrectly can hurt your gums, so it’s crucial to learn the correct form.
To help you protect your oral health, we’ve come up with some simple steps to follow each time you floss. From how to hold floss to how to use dental floss and dental flossers, this article will explain the most effective ways to clean between your teeth and maintain your oral health. Keep reading to find out the value of flossing and how to start practicing flossing the right way.
The Importance of Flossing
Floss is an interdental cleaner, which qualifies it as an essential part of taking care of teeth and gums, according to the American Dental Association. Because more than 500 bacterial species live in plaque, including some harmful kinds, plaque buildup can be detrimental to your mouth’s overall health. Unlike a toothbrush, an interdental cleaner like floss reaches the gumline, which is crucial to keeping the spaces between teeth clean and removing plaque that can result in gum disease or cavities.
Though both brushing and flossing are crucial aspects of your dental care routine, flossing is a more effective method for maintaining oral health when done correctly. While brushing removes plaque from only the front and back surfaces of teeth, flossing removes plaque from between the teeth and underneath the gums for a more thorough cleaning. The difficult-to-reach areas that dental floss reaches are where the most harmful bacteria live, which is why flossing regularly can help prevent gum diseases like gingivitis.
Flossing can also help keep your breath fresh and prevent periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is a risk factor in diabetes and cardiovascular disease, so flossing can protect both your overall health and your oral hygiene.
Flossing Tool Options
Nowadays, there are many tools available to help you properly clean between your teeth and reap the health benefits of flossing your teeth. Here are some of the most popular flossing tool options.
- Traditional dental floss: Traditional dental floss is the classic thin white string we typically think of when we picture flossing. Many different variations of regular floss are available, and the only factor affecting the effectiveness of dental floss is the technique you use.
- Flavored floss: Flavored floss, such as mint, is excellent for kids who may be more resistant to flossing. Many adults also opt for flavored floss because it makes the overall flossing experience more pleasant.
- Dental floss picks: Many people consider dental floss picks more convenient than traditional dental floss because you don’t have to wrap a string tightly around your fingers, which can be uncomfortable. Floss picks also take some of the guesswork out of trying to find the perfect angle to floss.
- Dental water jets: Also referred to as oral irrigators, dental water jets use high-pressure water to clean food particles and remove plaque from between teeth. This relatively new flossing tool is both easy to use and effective.
How to Floss Properly
Proper flossing technique will depend on which method you use and whether you have braces to navigate. We’ve put together a guide on how to floss properly using various flossing methods, along with some tips for flossing with braces, so you can floss successfully, no matter your dental situation.
How to Use Traditional Dental Floss
If you’re using regular dental floss, follow these five simple steps.
- Wash your hands: Flossing with traditional dental floss requires putting your fingers in your mouth, so make sure you’ve thoroughly washed your hands before beginning to floss.
- Cut and wrap the floss: Break off around 18 to 24 inches of dental floss and wrap one end of the floss around the middle or index finger of one hand and the other around the opposite index finger. Hold the floss tightly by pinching it between your thumbs and index fingers, leaving a couple of inches of floss between to manipulate.
- Direct the floss: With the floss pulled taut between your fingers, use your index fingers to guide the floss into the space between two teeth. Gently glide the floss against the sides of your teeth to clean out the area.
- Curve the floss: As the floss approaches your gums, curve it into a C-shape around the base of one of the teeth to reach the space around the entire tooth, including the back.
- Repeat: Remove the floss from between those teeth and repeat this process, using a fresh section of floss each time you move from tooth to tooth.
How to Use a Dental Floss Pick
Using a handheld flosser like a dental floss pick is similar to traditional floss. After you’ve washed your hands, follow these foureasy steps.
- Angle the flosser: Firmly grip the handle and point the tip of it at an angle facing toward the teeth you plan on flossing first.
- Guide the floss: Gently guide the flosser between the two teeth and use the same sliding zigzag motion to clean the area you would with regular dental floss. Make sure you don’t snap or pop the floss, which could hurt your gums.
- Bend the floss: Bend the floss as best you can around each tooth to carefully clean along the gumline and every tooth surface.
- Repeat: Follow this process for the rest of your teeth, rinsing the dental floss pick before moving onto a new tooth to keep it fresh.
How to Floss With Braces
Flossing with braces can be tricky, but it’s not impossible. If you don’t mind adding some extra time to your daily dental routine, you can follow the traditional flossing method while being extra careful to thread the floss through the wires and brackets of your braces. To speed up the process, you could use a floss threader, which will help you safely pull the floss behind the braces wire.
An even easier way to floss with braces is to use a dental water jet, eliminating the chance of getting floss caught in your braces. If you have a dental water jet, all you need to do is fill the machine with water, position the water flosser’s tip between two of your teeth, turn it on, and guide the water stream between each tooth and along your gumline. You can close your mouth to prevent splashing, but make sure you let the excess water drain from your mouth while flossing.
Dental floss toothpick
Is using toothpicks or dental floss a part of your daily routine? If not, make that change today! Cleaning between your teeth is a great way to get rid of food that may have gotten stuck throughout the day. Sometimes we do not even notice these little leftovers, so try to do this every day regardless of whether you feel that little seed from your sandwich between your teeth or not.
Toothpicks or Dental Floss?
Toothpicks and dental floss come in different shapes and sizes so that you can choose the one that fits you and your teeth. Although you can pick one or the other, you can also use both depending on the situation. The most important thing is making an effort every day with brushing and cleaning between your teeth. This will help ensure good dental hygiene with healthy teeth and gums.
Effective and Gentle Cleaning with Dental Floss
Using dental floss once a day is often enough for most people, but feel free to use it more if needed. A good tip to help you remember to floss is to floss every night before brushing your teeth. This will help get rid of any leftover food between your teeth. Which then makes cleaning them with a toothbrush afterwards easier.
There are many different types of dental floss, for example some are designed for especially small spaces, such as Easy Slide Floss. Others expand to ensure more effective cleaning for slightly larger spaces, such as Expand Floss.
If you struggle to reach all of your teeth using regular floss a flosser tool, such as the Easy Clean Flosser, may be right for you. They come with a long handle making it easy to move around in your mouth. Also, this convenient handle makes it easy to store alongside your toothbrush. This may help act as a visual reminder to floss.
When using dental floss in any shape or size remember to be gentle. To maintain clean and healthy teeth gently move the floss up and down between your teeth. Try to avoid any sawing motions from side to side.
A great alternative: Toothpicks
If you are already using dental floss, great, then you do not have to use toothpicks as well. Yet, they may still come in handy especially on the go. They are easy to carry around and can help you remove that stubborn piece of food that got stuck during dinner.
As with dental floss, there are several types of toothpicks to choose from. Our Dental Sticks come in a nice dispenser, making it ready for display on your dinner table. With natural flavour and no additives, it is suitable for all occasions. Another option is Clinic Thin Toothpicks, which contains fluoride and mint. These are recommended for those with narrow to normal spaces between their teeth.
Again, remember to be gentle especially if you have sensitive or receding gums. A good start is to use dental floss daily and use toothpicks as a helpful supplement when needed.
Dental floss thread
Flossing helps prevent gum disease as removing plaque accumulated around the teeth can ensure the mouth remains clean and healthy. Flossing regularly with the best suitable type of floss can help avoid unplanned visits to the dental office. Here’re some of the most recommended types of flosses and their uses.
Simple floss (Dental floss)
Simple dental floss is a thread consisting of thin filaments. It helps in cleaning spaces between the teeth before tooth brushing. These threads can reach and clean teeth from every angle, ensuring the gumline areas remain spotless. You can buy a pack at grocery stores or pharmacies. However, this floss is not recommended for patients who have dental retainers, bridges, or braces.
Floss threaders
A floss threader is a piece of plastic that’s flexible and rigid. It assists the dental floss to pass around orthodontic wires, dental bridges, and retainers. Floss threader appears like a needle and can easily pass from the small space between the teeth.
Patients who have orthodontic appliances fitted in the mouth as a part of treatment do not have to neglect teeth. Floss threaders help them in cleaning all the teeth properly. Floss threader works fine with any floss thread, and you can buy the same from a pharmacy or a shopping mall that has a dedicated section for dental care products. Reusable floss threaders are most recommended, as they can be reused after merely rinsing with warm water after use.
What’s super floss?
The areas around bridges, braces, and dental wires can prove to be a heaven for plaque and harmful bacteria. Thus, these dental fixtures need proper attention while cleaning. And this is where super floss comes into the picture. These flosses have three components that work together—a regular floss thread, spongy floss, and a dental floss threader that has a stiffened-end.
The first part is stiffened-end dental floss. The spongy part (middle segment) of the floss consists of cotton or nylon threads coated with wax. The end part is a simple wax-coated piece of thread.
Super floss allows patients to clean the areas around dental fixtures, remove plaque accumulated under the gumline, and clean dental braces, bridges. Several brands offer flosses with multiple threads for cleaning braces. However, Oral B super floss is the most preferred option. You can purchase it in a box of single floss or a packet of 50.
Floss picks
Floss picks consist of a small handle with two end posts that hold a short string of floss. Also referred to as floss sticks, they can be used as an alternative to a wooden toothpick.
A floss pick is perfect for getting rid of food particles that accumulate between the teeth and along the gum line. It cannot clean areas under braces, retainers, and bridges. Dentists recommend the same for patients who have issues with their hands, fingers and cannot use a wooden toothpick. Some floss picks have threads that can work as tongue scraper as well. You can also opt for floss picks with handles that have no-slip grips.
Oral care products manufacturers also offer battery-powered floss picks in selected markets. These units are designed to clean the teeth, gums, and vibrate to massage these areas.
All-natural products
Patients can also opt for locally manufactured all-natural flosses that are either made from biodegradable silk or other natural materials. There are products with threads infused in tea tree oil or other natural antimicrobial oils.
Water picks and flossers
Advanced water flossers can remove the plaque between teeth within seconds. These devices use bursts of water and air for hasslefree cleaning. The option is best for patients who are uncomfortable with string floss. Users can fill water or mouthwash in the device, aim the nozzle on the affected teeth, and blast the debris away with just a few seconds. Your dentist can recommend the best water flosser as per your dental structure.
There’s no one-floss-for-all
One flossing product may not be suitable for all family members. Preferences of members change over time as per the individual’s dental health condition. Children initially need child-sized flossers and can opt for an electric flosser at a later stage. Similarly, persons with dental fixtures cannot do with simple floss and require floss threaders or super floss.
Unfortunately, just around 4 out of 10 Americans spend time in flossing daily. Initially, it may seem time-consuming, but it only takes a few minutes once you get used to the same. Individuals who floss just once should consider doing it before brushing every day so that the plaque and bacteria loosened after flossing are removed while brushing.
If you need a reputed dentist who can recommend the best type of floss for you or your child, you should fix an appointment at TruCare dental clinic in Roswell (GA).
FAQs Related to Flossing
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about flossing, have a look:
1.How often should you use super floss?
It is advisable to floss every day. While cleaning the teeth, dental fixtures need proper attention. Ignorance can lead to the buildup of plaque and harmful bacteria. Therefore, cleaning with Super Floss helps manage oral hygiene while protecting the teeth from caries/decay and periodontal problems on the abutments.
2. Is it OK to not floss with braces?
No, flossing is essential if you are wearing braces. Braces can easily accumulate food particles, liquids, or sugars when you eat or drink something. If not cleaned properly, it may lead to serious teeth and gum problems. Therefore, to ensure the good health of your teeth and gums, you must not ignore brushing, flossing, and regular dental checkups.
3. How many times can you use a floss stick?
Flossing is done to remove food particles, plaque, and bacteria from between the teeth. Reusing the same floss stick may reintroduce the old bacteria and even some varieties of bacteria. Therefore, it is better not to use the same floss stick again.
4. Is a water flosser good for braces?
Yes, using a water flosser for braces is safe. It is a perfect tool to reach in those hard-to-reach corners
and gaps. Thus, help to keep teeth healthy and clean.
5. Can I use a normal thread for flossing?
Normal threads have a rough texture that may harm the gums if flossing is not done carefully. Besides, normal threads can break easily and get stuck in between the teeth. Instead, use dental floss that is specifically made for flossing purposes and is gum friendly. Dental floss can remove debris and plaque in-between the teeth easily without causing any harm.