Dental Floss

It is best to use dental floss to clean the spaces in between teeth. This is the area where bacteria tend to accumulate the most. In order to clean the teeth effectively floss needs to be used in conjunction with brushing. The spaces in between our teeth are normally filled in with gums and so we would use regular dental floss to clean these spaces. In some cases though, people may have larger spaces and so we would not be able to use regular floss as it will not clean effectively by removing the bacteria that are present there. In these cases we would use what are called interdental aids to help us with this. Interdental aids are other alternatives which can be used to help us effectively remove bacteria where regular flossing cannot. It is best to use any form of dental aids at least twice a day, this is morning and evening. We should use interdental aids before we brush our teeth. A couple of reasons for this is so that once we have removed bacteria from in between our teeth, the fluoride from brushing the teeth can get in to these spaces in between the teeth. Another reason is that once we start something we are motivated to finish it. Thus if we start out by flossing we will most likely carry on till the end when we have finished brushing our teeth, versus if we brushed first. Another reason is that we may not want to floss after we have already brushed because we feel that our mouth is already cleaned because we brushed it.

There are a number of flosses that are available for us to choose from; however we need to choose the one that is going to benefit us the most. In order to find out which one will work best for us we can ask our dental hygienist.

Waxed Dental Tape:

This type of floss is round and flat and can be used for people whose teeth do not come in contact with each other. It is better to use this type floss with toothpaste to remove stains in between the teeth. Some of the advantages are that it is tear resistant and because it is wide and flat we can manipulate it better while flossing.

Waxed Dental Floss:

This type of floss is best used for people who have rough tooth surfaces and who have restorations. It glides easily and smoothly over these surfaces and restorations. Some of its advantages are that it has high durability and does not shred easily, it inserts easily, and it does not cause injury to the tissue because it is smooth.

Unwaxed Round Floss:

This type of floss is best used for people whose teeth are in tight contact with each other. It is good to use this floss because it slips easily between the tight contacts of teeth and because it is thin.

Tufted Super Floss (Stiff End) Variable Thickness:

This floss is made of soft tufts and it alternates with regular floss. The standard floss can be used in between the contacts of the teeth and the larger tufts can be used to clean larger surfaces in between the teeth. It is good to use this floss if you have implants, teeth which have large open contact areas, teeth which have large embrasures, or areas where the gums have receded and/or where there is bone loss. Tufted floss have stiff ends, this allows better cleaning under bridges, tight contact areas, and braces. This type of floss is good to use because it is stiff and it is easier to use than floss threaders.

Colored Floss:

This floss is good because we can see what is being removed and thus is a great motivation tool because we can see the paque being removed. This floss is good for people who are just getting in to flossing because they can become educated by what is beiong removed. It is also good for people who have poor eyesight because they can actually see the floss and thus where to insert it.

Flavored Floss:

This is good motivation for people to floss because it has a good taste. as the taste is appealing.