Dental floss: purpose and use

2025 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2025-01-22 17:55

For oral hygiene, you need not only a brush, but also a dental floss. This device is a very thin cord with which you can clean your teeth and the spaces between them.

Not all people fully understand why dental floss is needed if you can brush your teeth with a brush. The fact is that the latter is not able to remove food that is stuck in the gaps between the teeth. Over time, food turns into an excellent environment for the development of harmful bacteria, which subsequently leads to cavities and gum disease. And with dental floss, it becomes possible to extract pieces of food from even the most inaccessible areas.

They are usually made from natural silk. Thin silk fibers are twisted into ribbons, and then they are treated with a special substance for good glide. Wax impregnation slightly increases the diameter of the thread, but at the same time it becomes much stronger. On sale you can find dental floss without lubricants: they are easy to use if there are wide gaps between the teeth. Threads can also be made from acetate or nylon. Despite the artificially synthesized material, they do not pose any danger to human he alth.

Threads can be produced not only in the form of ribbons. These dental accessories can also have a round shape. However, flat dental floss is still much more popular - they are suitable for all types of teeth and do not hurt the gums so much. Although you can get injured by any copy, regardless of what form factor it has. Usually, bleeding is observed in all people who use dental floss for the first time. But after a while it passes.

To make the procedure for cleaning the oral cavity more pleasant and effective, manufacturers impregnate dental floss with fluoride and a variety of aromatic liquids. For example, there are threads with the smell of mint or pine needles. And fluoride helps prevent tooth decay.

You can buy dental floss at a regular pharmacy. Most often it comes in a small box. To start using this dental accessory, you need to pull out a thirty-centimeter section of the thread from the box and cut it off. Then the ends of the thread are wound around the fingers, and the gaps between the teeth are cleaned with the middle segment. Cleaning should be done very carefully, as there is a risk of damaging the gums.

Dental floss is only indicated for he althy gums and teeth. If you have caries, inflammation or stones, then you can not use this hygiene item. Flossing is not recommended for teeth near crowns.

Floss your teeth once a day (preferably at night). In this case, for each tooth, you need to unwind a new piece of thread. Oftenthis hygiene procedure cannot be carried out, as it can damage tooth enamel.

By the way, flossing will also help get rid of bad breath. Reviews of people using this hygiene device indicate that a positive result is observed already on the second day. The plaque is effectively cleaned, and the gums become resistant to injury. Therefore, regular use of dental floss allows you to maintain a beautiful smile for many years.