Information
about flossing
Q Why are my teeth so important?
A Your
teeth vary in shape and size depending on their
position within your mouth. These differences allow the teeth
to do many different jobs. Teeth help us
to chew and digest food. They help us to
talk, and to pronounce different sounds clearly. Finally,
teeth help to give our face its shape. A
healthy smile can be a great asset and because
this is so important, it makes sense to give
your teeth the best care possible.
Q How should I clean between my teeth?
A One
way to clean between your teeth is with dental
floss or tape. Flossing removes plaque and
food particles from between your teeth and
under the gumline, areas a toothbrush can’t
reach. Your dentist or hygienist can show you
proper flossing techniques.
The following suggestions may help:
- Break off about 18
inches of floss, and wind most of it around
one of your middle fingers. Wind
the remaining floss around the same finger
of the other hand. As you use the floss,
you will take up the used section with this
finger.
- Hold the floss tightly
between your thumb and forefingers, with
about an inch of floss between them, leaving
no slack. Use a
gentle ‘rocking’ motion to guide
the floss between your teeth. Do not
jerk the floss or snap the floss into the
gums.
- When the floss reaches the gumline, curve
it into a C-shape against one tooth until you
feel resistance.
- Hold the floss against
the tooth. Gently scrape the side of the
tooth, moving the floss away from the gum. Repeat on the other
side of the gap, along the side of the next
tooth
- Don’t forget
the back of your last tooth.
- When flossing, keep
to a regular pattern. Start
at the top and work from left to right, then
move to the bottom and again work from the
left to right. This way you’re
less likely to miss any teeth.
It is also very important
to clean around the edges of any crowns, bridges
or implants. This
can be difficult to do effectively using traditional
floss and there are now specialist flosses to
do the job thoroughly (such as super floss and
specialist floss threaders). Ask your
dentist or hygienist on how to use these properly
and which method you should use.
Q Should my gums bleed when I floss?
A Your
gums may bleed or be sore for the first five
or six days that you floss. This should stop once the plaque
is broken up and the bacteria has gone. If
the bleeding does not stop, tell your dentist. It
may be that you are not flossing correctly or
your teeth and gums need a more thorough clean
by your dentist or hygienist.
Q What do I do if I have difficulty using floss?
A If
you have trouble using floss you can use a
floss holder or an interdental cleaning aid. Interdental cleaning aids
include woodsticks or small interdental brushes
used to remove plaque from between the teeth. Your
dentist or hygienist can explain how to use these
properly.
To download
these details in pdf form please click
here.
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