You know, you're not alone if you're not as good at flossing as you tell your hygienist during your regular cleaning. A lot of us can't really be bothered with the tedious act that is putting a piece of string between your teeth every night before bed. Everyone has asked themselves the same question: Just how important is flossing?
We've got the answer to this and other flossing myths that you've always wondered about right here in this post. Check them out.
Myth: There is no wrong way to floss.
Truth: On the contrary, there absolutely is a wrong way to floss as it requires a little more than just sticking the string in between your teeth and pulling it out again. Once you get the floss in place between your teeth, you want to gently work it up around the top of the tooth so you're getting all the way up into the gums. Make sure you do both sides of the gap. To get the best control, you'll want to keep the portion of floss you're using just a couple centimetres wide – floss picks have the correct width.
If you're working with regular floss, be sure to use a clean section for each tooth. Rinse or wipe clean if you're using the picks.
Myth: You should stop flossing when your gums bleed.
Truth: Actually just the opposite. If you're gums are bleeding, you should keep flossing, and floss more regularly. Once you start to floss more often, it will get less painful and you will likely stop bleeding. However, if you are a regular flosser and still get bloody gums, ask your dentist what you can do differently. You might just have to change your technique, but you might also have gum disease.
Myth: Flossing too hard will make your teeth fall out.
Truth: Your teeth are deeply rooted in your gums, so it would be really hard for you to sever them, let alone hit without it making you jump. Sometimes floss can get caught in your teeth, or be difficult to pull out, but again, the more you floss, the easier it will be keep those teeth squeaky clean.
You might not need to floss every time you brush, but we don't think you should cut it out entirely! If you want to learn more about how to be better at flossing, make an appointment with us at City Dentists today.