Flossing: dentists always talk about it, patients seem to hate it.
“I can’t figure out how to use it.” “It’s not convenient for me to use it.” “It seems like it’s too hard.”
Well, I suggest to you that you get an education from your dentist about how to floss again, if you’re still having trouble. There are certain floss holders that can be helpful. But I would encourage you to learn about what we call magic flossing fingers. That literally means wrapping the floss, about 18 inches of it, around your middle fingers and then systematically using your index finger and thumb to maneuver among the teeth. Have your dentist or hygienist demonstrate how to use it so it doesn’t frustrate you or feel you must lie to your dentist about how often you use it! Once you know how and practice a little, it becomes very easy and quite fast.
Now, for me, I’m not wedded to the idea that you must floss. I know that sounds like dental blasphemy, but here’s the reality. Over 9 in 10 Americans do not floss regularly or consistently. One figure I heard was 92% .
So, if you’re not going to floss, what should you use?
Well, you can use a product called a Stimudent or a Proxabrush. Use something to get in between your teeth. Why?
Because 85% of all problems for adults occur between the teeth. That’s where floss cleans. Only 15% of the problems occur on the biting surface or on the smooth surfaces of the teeth where you normally brush. Wow, that means flossing is more important than my brushing? Well, the answer is yes. You should actually start your home care by flossing your teeth first, followed by brushing.
When you don’t clean between your teeth, the plaque gets evolves and gets more destructive to your gums and teeth. It causes an inflammatory response from the infection that courses through your body, worsening a multitude of conditions and diseases. Don’t let this happen to you.
