When it comes to using dental floss, how often is enough? Should you floss every time you brush, after a big meal, or a few times a day? How do you know that you are getting a properly cleaned mouth? In this post, we will answer these questions for you.
How Much Flossing?
Most dentists and dental hygienists agree that you can get away with flossing your teeth once a day. You, therefore, do not have to do it whenever you brush your teeth. That said, there is nothing stopping you from using floss more often if you really want to.
Is it Really That Important?
A lot of people think that because they brush their teeth really well, or use mouthwash, they don’t need to floss. This is a misconception. Flossing removes food particles between the teeth that the toothbrush couldn’t dislodge.
And, if the toothbrush couldn’t shift them what chance does your mouthwash have?
Also, keep in mind that there will also be bits of plaque hiding in those places that your toothbrush just cannot get to. And, again, the mouth wash cannot do much about dislodging these pieces.
The only way to get your mouth completely clean is to brush every surface thoroughly. This should not take less than two minutes. Now get in with the dental tape and clear out the gunk from between the teeth.
Can I Floss Twice a Day?
Sure, why not. It isn’t entirely necessary, but it can help to keep your mouth fresher and healthier. If you have food particles caught between your teeth, the sooner you get them out, the better. Some people even brush and floss after every meal.
The Best Time
It is best to schedule this for after you have eaten your last meal or had your last beverage for the night. Water doesn’t count as a beverage here so feel free to drink water after brushing your teeth.
Another time you might consider it is when you have had a meal, and you can feel that food has gotten stuck. If you have dental tape on hand, use this in place of a toothpick.
But it is Too Hard!
You need to wind the tape around two fingers and then move it into the gaps. To be fair, this takes a fair amount of practice to get right. As an alternative, look out for dental picks. These look almost like little forks with only two prongs.
Suspended between the two prongs is the dental tape. This is the ideal shape to fit into the gaps. All you need to do is to insert the tape side and scrape it up along one side of the tooth. Keep a small bowl of water handy so that you can rinse anything that comes off.
Make sure that you do this on both sides of each tooth.
When you are done, you can rinse out your mouth with water. Follow it with your mouthwash if you are going to be using one. You can ask your dentist in Grande Prairie for tips if you find it difficult to floss.
And that’s it – done. It’s not as hard as you believed, is it?