Inter-dental cleaning and why it's important.

Flossing is not something that is deeply ingrained in oral health regimes within society in the UK. Britain has never really caught on to flossing, and yet in America it is unthinkable for most not to floss. So in the UK, many people are confused about whether or not they need to be flossing, they don't know how to floss, or even how often to do it.

For this reason we wanted to give you the facts on flossing so that you can make your own mind up about it, after all, we all want to look after our teeth, so the more you know, the more able you will be to maintain great oral health and smiles.

Here are some facts about flossing:

You Do Need To Do It

Despite there being no advertising for it, it is something you need to do. It removes the plaque from between the teeth where toothbrushes cannot reach, and so it protects that part of your teeth from the damage plaque causes.

You Don't Do It As A Child

You don't floss as a child because you don't really need to; however, you should start flossing around age 12, with supervision and help when learning how to do it at first.

Learning How To Do It Takes Practice

To floss, you gently rub the floss between the teeth in a way that gently takes away any debris from in between. Flossing should never be aggressive or pulling at the teeth. It does take practice and if you need help to learn how, your Egham dentist or hygienist will be able to help you.

Your Gums Might Bleed At First

Your gums might bleed at first whilst they get used to the flossing, and this is normal. However if they don't stop bleeding after a few days you might need to speak to us about why that is, as your technique might be wrong or you may have a more serious underlying problem.

Floss Before Brushing

Flossing pulls out debris from between the teeth so it makes sense to floss before you brush your teeth so you can brush that debris away along with the rest of the plaque on your teeth.

You Can Floss More Than Twice A Day

Whereas brushing isn't recommended throughout the day, flossing is something you can do more. In fact, some people take floss out with them and use it to freshen breath throughout the day as the food left between the teeth can start to smell as it is effectively 'rotting'. Better to remove it then!

There Are Other Ways Tackle Teeth You Can't Floss

You may have teeth where the gaps are not big enough to floss between. If that is the case, your local dentist will be able to offer alternative ways to clean in-between those teeth; for example a tiny inter-dental brush.

Please Book An Appointment At Crown House Dental, Egham, For More Information

If you want more information on flossing, need guidance on how to floss or you just want to book a check-up, please call us on 01784432641 and we will be more than happy to book you an appointment, or provide you with the information you need.