Ever been told you don’t floss by a dentist, even though you get in between your teeth with those handy picks every night?
Well, that happened to me last week ― and I’ve got friends who’ve had similar experiences.
The dentist was not, in fact, just gaslighting me, though.
It turns out that not only are you meant to add toothpaste to your floss before using it, but many dentists consider floss picks as more of a spot treatment than a decent mainstay.
Dentist clinic Rotdem Dental Care says that while “it’s better to floss with a floss pick than to not floss at all, it’s important to note that floss picks can only clean a part of the tooth’s surface”.
That’s because teeth are oval or round with irregularities, they say; so a “straight segment of floss just cannot conform to the shapes of the tooth as well as traditional floss.”
What if I struggle to use string floss?
If you have a crowded mouth or just generally struggle to reach your molars with regular tape or string floss, we have a lot in common.
But periodontist Dr Sasha Ross told healthcare provider Cleveland Clinic that that’s likely because “a lot of us have never really been shown how to properly brush and floss”.
To get into every nook and cranny, she advises we take a length of floss about as long as the distance between our shoulders.
Wrap the floss around your thumb and forefingers, leaving two inches of floss to work with.
“You want to sort of cup the floss around your tooth,” the periodontist said.
Rub the floss up and down that little triangle of gum (the papilla) your toothbrush can’t reach.
Do the same on each tooth, using a clean stretch of floss each time.
If you have dexterity issues, though, Dr Ross says “picks are a good alternative”.
What if that hurts my gums or makes them bleed?
You shouldn’t use excessive force or jam floss into your gums, the expert shared.
But if you haven’t flossed your teeth for a while, the counterintuitive advice is to stick with it until it gets better.
“In most cases, if you stick with it and use the right technique, the bleeding will stop after a week or so,” Dr. Ross says.
“Just make sure you’re not traumatising your gum tissue and pressing too hard or at the wrong angle.”
If your gums regularly bleed despite flossing regularly, though, see your dentist as this can be a sign of gum disease.
Lastly, Dr Ross told Cleveland Clinic that “studies have shown no difference in unwaxed or waxed floss,” though she personally finds the unwaxed kind “more effective”.
“Flossing is incredibly important because studies have shown that brushing just doesn’t get to the area in between your teeth,” she added.
So, “if you’re initially struggling, don’t give up… Look in the mirror when you’re doing it, and lean on your dentist, periodontist or hygienist for extra instruction, if you need it”.
