Flossing
is a crucial part of dental hygiene, and one that shouldn’t be taken
lightly; after all, it’s a tried-and-true method for getting rid of
stubborn food particles that settle in hard-to-reach places between
teeth, as well as an effective way to disrupt cavity-causing bacteria
and keep them getting too comfortable. Of course, you might be thinking:
how hard is it to drag some string between your teeth? Harder than you
might think. Countless people make casual errors every day when
flossing, and while it might not seem like a big deal at the time, you
could find yourself in need of fillings or other restorative dental work
before you know it. Here are five common mistakes that are made during
flossing that you should watch out for:
When You Use the Same Section of Floss the Entire Time
As we said above, flossing removes harmful bacteria from between your
teeth. Why would you want to move that bacteria around your mouth into
new areas instead of getting rid of it altogether? It might seem
wasteful, but when you use the exact same area of floss on multiple
teeth, you can replace plaque that’s already been removed into a
brand-new home.
When You Skip the Teeth in the Very Back
While some of your teeth may have an open space next to them, it’s
still important to work the floss behind them and do some cleaning. By
doing this, you can make sure to remove bacteria that sometimes finds
its way between your tooth and gums.
When You Snap the Floss between Your Teeth
Some of your teeth have very tight adjoining spaces. When you notice
an area like this, try not to force the floss so that it jumps down
against your gums. Instead, work the floss back and forth until it
slides through. Snapping the floss not only hurts your gums, but it can
also cause them to recede. Gum disease might not be far behind, too.
When You Quit Because Your Gums Start Bleeding
We understand that the sight and taste of blood can be scary
sometimes, but don’t worry! You’re not hurting your gums. You’re just
suffering from gingivitis, a condition that happens when your body sends
more blood to the gums so that they can fight off growing plaque. You
can alleviate this condition by removing that plaque with flossing.
After a few days of dedicated flossing, your gums should return to
normal!
When You Floss Aimlessly Without Keeping Track Of Your Teeth
You have a fair amount of teeth, and when you’re flossing, it can be
easy to become distracted and accidentally skip one or two. Creating a
plan that you follow whenever you floss will guarantee that you leave no
area untouched. As long as you stick to it, you shouldn’t have any
problems! Just be sure to watch out for these common mistakes, and keep flossing! Your teeth will thank you.
Dr. Claudio A. Sorrentino
