How Many Times Should I Use Floss?

Even though brushing your teeth twice a day is very important, it is just as important to use a dental floss to clean in between your teeth and beneath the gum lines.

Food debris and bacteria can creep into the tiny spaces between your teeth and beneath the gum line, giving rise to plaque that can erode your enamel. The worst part is that you will never know about these hidden cavities until they become severe.

That is why Dr. Chung at ComfortCare Dental recommends using floss in places that your toothbrush cannot reach.

Should You Use Anything to Remove Food Debris Stuck in Your Teeth?

If you are relaxing on the couch watching your favorite Netflix show and you feel something stuck in between your teeth, it can be very tempting to pull it out using anything pointy that is nearby, most often your nail. According to surveys, about 61% of Americans use their fingernail and about 40% use a folded card to pull out food debris stuck in their teeth.

However, not only these improvised toothpickers not clean your teeth sufficiently, they may hurt your gums as well. It is important that you use dentist-accepted interdental cleaners like floss, dental picks, water flossers, and tiny brushes to clean food debris.

When Should I Clean In Between my Teeth?

As long as you floss your teeth at least once a day, it doesn’t really matter when. You can pick anytime of the day to spend a few minutes cleaning in between your teeth and beneath your gumline. You can also use floss to clean away food debris from between your teeth after every meal.

Parents should cultivate the habit of using floss in children as young as three years old. They should start cleaning in between their children’s teeth as soon as their child gets two teeth right next to each other. Since children cannot correctly floss on their own, you should help them floss at least until they turn eight.

Flossing or interdental cleaning is not supposed to be painful. It is normal to feel slight discomfort when you start cleaning in between your teeth after a long while, however, this feeling will quickly go away. If your gums continue to become irritated every time you floss, it could point to some other oral issue and you should get an appointment with us at our offices in Milwaukie, Oregon City, or our Mobile Dental Clinic to treat it.

Benefits of Having a Water Flosser for Getting Between Your Teeth

Although daily flossing has been proven effective for fighting tooth decay and gum disease, the vast majority of the population doesn’t floss on a regular basis. Let’s face it. It is not the most exciting task in the world. However, water flossers might be just the devices necessary to motivate even the most resistant flosser.

What Do Water Flossers Do?

If you’re unfamiliar with this technology, a water flosser (aka an oral irrigator) consists of a plastic tube that sprays water around your teeth and along your gum line to blast away food particles that can cause decay. You simply plug it in, turn it on and allow a continuous spray to remove the grime and gunk that accumulates in your mouth.

Do Water Flossers Really Work?

There are detractors in the dental world who claim that water irrigation just cannot compare to the effectiveness of good old-fashioned flossing. However, decades of compiled research show differently. It turns out that water flossers are just as effective as string floss, if not more. In addition, they are a simple alternative that’s quicker and more comfortable than traditional flossing. And you don’t have to stick your fingers in your mouth to boot.

Who Can Benefit from Water Flossing?

Although anyone can benefit from using a water flosser, they are especially effective for certain groups. These include those with fixed orthodontics who find string flossing long and arduous. In addition, water flossing is extra useful for people with certain medical conditions like Parkinson’s or arthritis who find it difficult to handle string floss. Finally, using a water flosser can benefit those who find string flossing too unappealing to keep up a daily flossing habit.

If you’re concerned that you’re not flossing well enough or often enough, maybe it’s time to make the switch to a water flosser. Please contact our offices in Milwaukie or Oregon City for recommendations. We would be happy to answer any of your questions.

Contact Our Offices

Milwaukie: (503) 855-0465
Oregon City: (503) 765-7185
Mobile Dental Clinic: (503) 653-9334