Floss is nothing but brushing the areas in between the teeth that is interdentally in simpler terms.

This is one of the most important aspects of oral hygiene and maintenance yet the most neglected one. Most of us are either not aware that such a term exists or are negligent and don’t do it or don’t know how to do it or some of us even don’t think it could be any important.

So like I mentioned earlier, floss is one of the most important steps in your oral health care regimen. Picture this- Your teeth are in tight contact with one another and their arrangement is such that they face each other side to side. On an average you have 28 teeth. Now your toothbrush no doubt cleanses the visible areas if you do it right. But what happens to the contact areas of the teeth? These areas are anyway in tight contact with one another usually. So how will you keep them clean? Are you very confident that your brushing and rinsing technique is so perfect that it cleans them all? Sure, rinsing does help but there is no second thought that these areas need special attention and care and thereby flossing is vital.

More so when you have a crown on your teeth which in common language is called a ‘cap’? Remember whenever a cap is placed, there is a certain amount of space between the cap and your gums. This again needs special attention to cleanse the area sufficiently.

What is a Floss?

Floss is a thread like material used to clean in between your teeth.

This comes in a variety of materials and components such as waxed or unwaxed, threaded or unthreaded, single or layered, with handle or without handle etc.

You have to gently floss in between your teeth extending unto your gums in such a fashion that any grime is out of the area whilst you remove it. Make sure that the floss touches the tooth area of your interest. Do not floss aggressively because it may end up hurting your gums. Please visit your doctor to show you exactly how it is done. The interdental space sometimes is large, at such instances an interdental brush or a toothpick can be used depending on the size and location of the spacing. Your Dentist will be able to guide you best in this regard.

Thus, this procedure not only helps to clean the interdental areas but also saves you from decay and gum diseases by disrupting an unnecessary bacterial growth and thereby saving you from a lot of pain and dentist visits.

Keep Smiling!