09 Jun Flossing and Interdental Cleaners
Flossing can be an overlooked component of daily dental care. But it’s an integral component to ensure that your mouth stays healthy. Plaque exists between your teeth. And the use of a toothbrush will not clean the tight spaces between two teeth. And when plaque and bacteria are allowed to thrive, the acid that’s produced eats away at a tooth’s hard protective surface (enamel); when the enamel is broken down cavities develop. And cavities aren’t the only problem. When an interdental cleaner like floss isn’t used routinely to clean the space between teeth, a hard substance called tarter forms. Tarter collects along the gum line and eventually, if not cleaned by a dentist (tarter can only be removed by a dentist) it can lead to gum disease.
Whey then, if flossing is an important component to oral care, do people neglect it? The facts are that even the U.S Department of Health and Human Services has stated that flossing is “an important oral hygiene practice”. And not only is flossing an important tool for cleaning between teeth, but it’s also the perfect tool to remove food bits and other types of debris caught between two teeth. According to the American Dental Association, people will use all kinds of items to remove debris and other items from between their teeth (Credit cards and other pointed objects).
When is the best time of day to floss you might ask? Anytime. Floss your teeth at the time of day when you are most likely to make the practice of flossing habit. If you are too tired in the evening to floss, then try to floss at other times of day. And there is no set order for which you should brush and floss. Floss first or brush first, it doesn’t matter as long as you do both. Remember also to brush your teeth at least twice daily, and remember the importance of your regular dental visit at Silver Creek Family Dentistry to have your teeth cleaned and inspected by your dentist.
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