What is best dental floss? benefits of using dental floss?

With the development of modern stomatology and people’s growing demand for oral health, more and more people are beginning to pay attention to best dental floss. According to the results of the fourth national oral health epidemiological survey, the national dental flossing rate has increased compared with the past, but it is still at a low level. The 35-44 age group has the highest frequency of dental flossing, with about 2% of people using dental floss every day.

what exactly is dental floss? How does it work?

Dental floss is a thin thread made of nylon, silk or polyester. Although it looks simple, don’t underestimate this thin thread, it can effectively clean the plaque on the adjacent surfaces of teeth.

The brushing method we introduced earlier can only remove about 65% of the plaque. The remaining 35% of the plaque exists on the adjacent surfaces of the teeth (what we call the gaps between teeth), under some gum edges, and in dead corners caused by uneven teeth, which are difficult to remove directly. This part of the plaque can also cause caries and periodontal disease, but it is often ignore due to its location characteristics. This is part of the reason why even if you use dental floss after brushing your teeth, you can still clean out the residue, and people who brush their teeth carefully still have oral problems. More and more dentists recommend the use of dental floss.

What are the benefits of dental floss? To sum up, there are probably a few points:

Using dental floss can effectively remove dental plaque from the adjacent surfaces of teeth, reducing the occurrence of caries and periodontal disease; it can effectively remove food debris that toothpicks cannot remove; It can massage and stimulate the gums and promote blood circulation in the gums; persistent use can effectively reduce bad breath; and it helps maintain oral and overall health.

Just like toothpaste and toothbrushes, there are also a wide variety of dental floss available on the market. Some people may have considered using dental floss, but faced with so many different types, they often don’t know how to choose.

In fact, dental floss can also be roughly classified into categories.

The first category is waxed, slightly waxed and unwaxed dental floss, which are mainly distinguished by whether there is a wax coating on the dental floss. The most obvious difference in use is comfort and friction with teeth. Generally speaking, waxed dental floss is easier to move between teeth than unwaxed dental floss. When the gap between teeth is large and it is not difficult for the dental floss to pass through the adjacent points of teeth during use. It is recommend to use unwaxed dental floss. When the teeth are uneven and there are bad restorations, the dental floss is easily wear and broken. It is recommend to choose waxed dental floss or slightly waxed dental floss. Of course, everyone can choose what they are use to according to their own adaptability.

The second category is dental floss with a stick, that is, a dental floss stick. The difference is that there is a hard stick at the end, so you don’t have to wrap it around your hands when using it, which is easier to learn and master, but the cleaning method is no different from other types of dental floss. In addition, it is more convenient to pass through the gap between the archwire teeth during orthodontic treatment.

The third category is expandable dental floss and non-expandable dental floss. The characteristic of expandable dental floss is that after encountering saliva or gingival sulcus fluid, the surface of the floss will be dissolve, and the floss will expand to 2-3 times its original thickness. The expanded part will be fluffy and soft, like a brush, which can better clean the adjacent surfaces of the teeth.

Flat dental floss

In addition, dental floss can be divide into flat dental floss and round dental floss according to its shape. The function of flat dental floss is to increase the contact surface between the dental floss and the teeth, which can better clean the dental plaque and tartar between the teeth; round dental floss is more suitable for people with large teeth.

According to the taste of dental floss, dental floss can be divide into flavored dental floss and unflavored dental floss. Because some dental floss has added flavoring agents, such as mint and fruit flavor. It tastes good and is more pleasant to use. There is also a kind of dental floss containing fluoride, which can prevent tooth decay.

In recent years, a new type of “dental floss” has also available. That is, the water flosser commonly know as “water floss”. It uses pulsed water flow to remove dental plaque and food residues. The gaps between teeth and between teeth and gums. On the other hand, the use of high-pressure water pulses can effectively massage and stimulate the gums. It improve blood circulation. In terms of cleaning effect, the physical cleaning effect of traditional dental floss is better. But for people who have never been accustom to using dental floss, water flossers are a good choice.

It should be note that the dental floss available on the market. That may have two or more of the above characteristics at the same time. For example, a flat dental floss can also be a flavor-correcting dental floss. You can choose a dental floss product that suits you and has a good experience according to your oral condition.

How to use dental floss

After talking about the types of dental floss and choosing the dental floss that suits you. Let’s learn how to use dental floss .

First, pull the dental floss out of the dental floss box, take a section of 33cm-45cm dental floss, roll part of the dental floss on the middle fingers of both hands to fix it. Then leave about two centimeters of operating distance. Be careful not to pull it too tight, which will affect the blood circulation of your fingers. Then, use the thumbs and index fingers of both hands to control the dental floss.

The improved version of the dental floss method is to tie a knot at the end of the taken dental floss to form a circle. So that you can use the dental floss in a circle and reduce the waste of both ends of the dental floss.

Dental floss methods

After understanding the two methods of taking dental floss, let’s officially use dental floss to clean your teeth. Students can try to use dental floss to clean their teeth. You can choose to clean the front teeth first. Pull the dental floss forward and backward, slowly slide it into the gap between teeth. Then pull the dental floss to the lowest position of the gums, pull the two ends of the dental floss to the adjacent surface of one tooth. As if wrapping this tooth, pull it up and down to remove the dental plaque accumulated on the tooth surface. After cleaning one side, clean the teeth and gums on the other side.

Then gently pull the dental floss out along the gap between teeth. Change a section of clean dental floss and clean the remaining teeth. Note that the cleaning method of the upper front teeth is the same as that of the lower front teeth. The most difficult is to clean the molars at the back. Which requires the feeling of the index finger to control the dental floss inside the mouth.

There are also some things to pay attention to when using dental floss to clean:

1. It is difficult to learn to use dental floss at the beginning. Beginners can operate in front of the mirror first. Start learning from the lower central and lateral incisors. Then the upper central and lateral incisors, and then try to clean the molars of the lower jaw, and finally the molars of the upper jaw.

2. The dental floss should be slowly slid into the gap between teeth to prevent the strength from slipping into the gap suddenly and hurting the gums.

3. After cleaning, even if the dental floss looks clean, it is already cover with dental plaque. You cannot assume that your teeth are clean and stop flossing.

4. Learning the correct way to floss requires perseverance. If you continue to learn for a week or two, you will be able to master the method of flossing and benefit your oral cavity for a lifetime.

5. Dental floss is a disposable item. It is cover with a lot of bacteria after use and cannot be reused.

Next, I will explain several questions that are often ask and that many people are not clear about.

1. Dental floss and dental floss sticks are available on the market, and they each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Which one is better?

Dental floss has high mobility and its length can be adjust according to the user’s habits. It has better cleaning effect if you master it skillfully. It is more recommended to use dental floss. The two-handed operation can accurately wrap the side of the teeth and clean a larger area. However, when using dental floss, the fingers are easy to contact with the mouth, which is not hygienic enough to get saliva. A roll of dental floss is long, and it needs to be use up as soon as possible after opening.

Dental floss sticks are more convenient, efficient and hygienic. However, its effective length is too short, the cost of one-time use is high, the mobility is slightly small, and the cleaning effect, especially for the back teeth, is limited to a certain extent.

So you can choose to use it according to your actual situation.

2. Some beginners will ask: When is it more appropriate to use dental floss?

In fact, dental floss is usually use in conjunction with brushing teeth or after meals. It is recommend that you use dental floss at least once a day for all teeth. It can be arrange at night when brushing teeth or before going to bed. After use, rinse your mouth with clean water to wash out the fallen debris.

3. Some parents have concerns about the use of dental floss and worry that their children cannot use dental floss.

In principle, dental floss can be use when there are gaps between the baby’s teeth. However, the gaps between the newly erupted teeth are too large to be use. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that dental floss can be use to assist in cleaning when the baby’s two teeth are close enough to touch each other.

In addition, some people often confuse dental floss with toothpicks, thinking that toothpicks can replace the effect of dental floss and that they are more accustomed to using toothpicks. In fact, dental floss is far superior to toothpicks in terms of cleaning ability, product quality and use effect, which is why more and more dentists now advocate not using toothpicks and using more dental floss.

Another common misconception about dental floss is that it will make the spaces between teeth wider.

In fact, using dental floss correctly will not make the gaps between teeth larger. Good dental floss has the ability to deform. It will become flat when passing through the gaps between teeth and can easily slide into the gaps between teeth. The teeth themselves also have a certain degree of mobility and can move slightly. If the dental floss cannot enter, it may be suspected that the gaps between teeth are blocked by dental calculus accumulation. At this time, you need to see a doctor in time for teeth cleaning. If you feel that the gaps between teeth have become larger after using dental floss, on the one hand, you need to observe whether you are using dental floss correctly and whether you have hurt your gums; on the other hand, you should see a doctor in time to see if there is gum atrophy.