Floss, Floss, Floss!

                                                  

Being a hygienist, it just wouldn't be right if I didn't feel the need to share some important oral hygiene tips :-) Flossing is one of the most important daily rituals that everyone should perform! I know it seems like it doesn't accomplish anything, probably because you can't see results quickly, but flossing makes your gums SO much healthier. Has anyone EVER noticed blood after spitting in the sink from brushing or flossing? Well.....bleeding is a sign of disease in your mouth! Most people would freak out if their eyeballs started bleeding, but for some reason, bleeding gums usually gets shrugged off as being normal. This is not the case! Bleeding means that there is infection in that area of your gums from bacterial plaque buildup. This is your mouth telling you there is something wrong! Anytime you notice red, swollen, tender, or bleeding gums, the dental name for those signs and symptoms is gingivitis. It can be reversed by making sure to brush your gums when you brush your teeth (at least twice a day), and flossing daily. Here are the simple steps to floss correctly, and with enough practice, you can floss your teeth in less than a minute!

I have tried almost every type of floss out there, but my #1 choice was the Reach Clean Paste floss. This wouldn't work for some people who have very tight teeth because it is unwaxed, but for my dentition, this is the kind I prefer. It is stretchy like panty-hose and is coated with a minty paste for a fresher taste. The texture of this floss is similar to yarn and I feel that it really grabs a hold of sticky plaque very well. Sadly, I just discovered that the Clean Paste floss has been discontinued, but the Reach Total Care floss is a close match. I do believe you can still find some online, though.

1. Take a piece of floss, about 18" long, and hold the ends between your thumb and middle finger. (Below)

2. Twist both ends of floss around your middle fingers. This allows you to use your thumbs and pointer fingers to guide the floss where you need it to go. (Below)

3.  Gently saw the floss back and forth down between the teeth. Try not to pop the floss down because that can cut your gums if you're not careful. Take the floss all the way to the base of the gums, until you feel like you're hitting a rubberband. Wrap the floss into a "C" shape around each individual tooth on both sides and scrape up and down to mechanically remove the sticky plaque.

It is normal for flossing to be uncomfortable and to make your gums sore the first few times you do this correctly. Just think of your gums like muscles in your body. If you never work out, and then one day you decide to go to the gym, your muscles are very sore. But, if you keep working out regularly, your muscles become tougher, you become stronger, and the soreness subsides. Same thing with flossing! Your gums will become cleaner, pinker, tougher, and much healthier because you are cleaning them! 

Periodontitis, a disease of the gums and bone that support your teeth, usually starts in between the teeth from not regularly removing bacterial plaque. Also, this bacteria can easily enter your blood stream through your gums since the blood vessels are so close to the surface (this is why gums are pink/red!) This makes flossing extremely important for people who have heart problems and/or diabetes. 

If anyone has any questions about this, please feel free to leave me a message! And just because YOU can't tell a difference doesn't mean you're not benefiting---so please keep it clean in between... :-) 

Thanks for reading! Hope it helps!

Photography by Debbie Hill