Well, the good news is you’re not alone. Most people have trouble with flossing, So I’d like to offer a few suggestions that I’ve found over the years may help.
- If you don’t know how to floss properly, then yes, you can hurt yourself and traumatize your gums. Call and stop by or ask the hygienist next time you are in for your “check-up” to make sure your technique is solid!
- Try a different kind of floss. If you don’t like what you are using then try something else. There are many different kinds of floss including waxed, un-waxed, tape, glide, flavored, unflavored, etc. Remember, it doesn’t matter what kind you use. The important thing is to remember to do it.
- Let’s face it, not everyone has the dexterity of a dental hygienist. II flossing is something you just physically cannot master, then consider using any one of a number of other devices available for getting In between the teeth. Some examples: GUM® Eez-Thru flossers, GUM® Proxabrushes, DenTek Triple Clean Floss Picks, DenTek Floss Threaders, the GUM ® Flossmate Floss Handle and Oral-B Super Floss®. No matter what the issue is, rest assured that there’s something out there to help.
- It’s important to floss at least once a day, but if you only floss once, when would be the best time? Night time of course, right before you go to bed. Why you ask? Because night time is the longest period during which you are not feeding the bacteria in dental plaque…those same bugs that cause tooth decay and gum disease.
- And finally, don’t forget that flossing, as an integral part of your daily oral hygiene routine, has now been linked to achieving better overall health in many ways. By reducing infection and inflammation, meticulous home care can help reduce the consequences of diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and possibly pre-term low birth weight babies.
So for all these reasons and more I hope you take your daily flossing seriously.
Please feel free to talk with me at your next visit about your flossing techniques. We will be happy to demonstrate effective flossing techniques. Be sure to contact me or the staff at my office, Dr. Laurence Stone in Doylestown, PA to schedule your next visit
Photo demonstrates Dentek Triple Clean Floss Picks in action.
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