Flossing

Flossing is necessary to remove plaque and debris between the teeth. Cleaning with the toothbrush is often not enough. The toothbrush can’t easily reach under the gum line and between the teeth. The electric toothbrushes are more effective than regular toothbrushes, but for those places where debris is difficult to remove, we need to floss. Tourmedical recommends daily flossing urgently because built up plaque can lead to tooth decay and gum diseases.

First, it is important to choose the right floss. You can choose a nylon (multi filament) or PTFE (single filament) floss. Nylon floss is available with and without wax, and sometimes with different flavors. The disadvantage of the nylon floss is that, because this type of floss is composed of many strands of nylon, it may sometimes shred, in particular if the teeth are too close to each other. The PTFE floss, although slightly more expensive, is composed of one filament, and slides easily between the teeth. But both work well if used with the proper technique.

What is a good floss technique? Maybe you floss every day but if not done correctly, it actually has no effect. Take approximately 50 cm dental floss and wrap the floss around the middle finger of both hands, leaving 5 cm floss to work with. Hold the floss that is left tightly between your thumbs and index fingers and slide it up and down between the teeth.

For each tooth use a clean piece of dental floss. It is important to curve the floss till the base of each tooth, making sure you go beneath the gum line. Be careful not to force the floss, while flossing the edges of the teeth and molars, because it can damage the gum tissue.

Which time of day to floss is up to you. Some people like to floss before bedtime, others in the morning. It does not really matter what time of day you choose. However, it is important to floss before you brush, because it can clean out the spaces between your teeth and allow the fluoride to penetrate the teeth better.