There have been many articles posted online over the past several years claiming that there is little scientific backing to the practice of flossing. This has been incredibly unfortunate because those studies have been misrepresented by the internet’s love of sensational headlines. Flossing your teeth is incredibly beneficial for preventing decay as long as proper technique is learned and used.
One of the studies the articles often cite compared 2 groups of people. One group flossed their own teeth every day and the other had their teeth flossed by a hygienist every day. The group that had their teeth flossed by a professional were 40% less likely to develop cavities than the group that did it for themselves. The difference between them was the technique.
Most people’s flossing technique is to take a length of floss and jerk it up and down between their teeth until their gums bleed, barely getting even the sides of your teeth, then moving to the next tooth. This is poor technique and won’t actually help clean the plaque off of your teeth. Properly flossing takes more finesse.
To floss your teeth properly, take 18-24 inches of floss from your dispenser and wrap the ends around your fingers until you have a length of 3-4 inches between them. Hold the floss tightly against a tooth ad pull it into a C-shape so it covers all sides of the teeth. Pull the floss back and forth from front to back and up and down. This will ensure the most coverage and effectiveness in removing plaque.
For more information about proper hygiene techniques or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Espino, feel free to contact Republic Dental in Pleasanton, TX, today!
