Over time, bacteria in your mouth feed on sugary foods and beverages to produce plaque that leads to tooth decay that ultimately results in cavities.
Brushing only cleans the front, back and chewing surfaces of your teeth; it cannot reach between or underneath them. In order to reach those spaces between teeth and near the gum line, flossing or using another interdental cleaner are the only effective solutions.
Brushing Your Teeth
Brushing twice daily helps eliminate plaque, which harbors bacteria that feed off of sugary substances to produce acids that damage tooth enamel and lead to cavities. Furthermore, it removes food debris that gets lodged between your teeth throughout the day that could otherwise lead to severe tooth decay and painful dental emergencies known as cavities.
As brushing alone may not be sufficient to prevent cavities, the American Dental Association suggests flossing your teeth daily to alleviate bacteria and trapped food particles that cannot be reached with brushing, as well as help avoid gum disease which is even more serious than tooth decay.
Start flossing by breaking off approximately 18 inches of floss and wrapping most of it around one of your middle fingers, with any leftover length wrapped around another middle finger of either hand. Use clean sections of floss for each new tooth – to avoid scratching or bruising your gums, slide rather than snap the floss between pairs of teeth as this allows a cleaner way to floss between pairs; at each bottom tooth bend the thread into a C shape against its gum line for best results.
Before bed, flossing should be performed because saliva production drops dramatically at this time of the night. Saliva helps wash away acidic foods and repair tooth enamel after meals, while going without brushing can allow bacteria to settle on your teeth, producing acid and leading to cavities or worse.
As well as brushing and flossing, maintaining healthy teeth also requires eating well and visiting the dentist regularly. Limiting sugary snacks and beverages gives bacteria less food to feed off of, increasing resistance against tooth decay. Rinsing with water after indulging can help neutralize acids released by these items as well as neutralizing bacteria growth in your mouth. Avoiding crunchy or sticky foods such as candy, sweet pastries or chewy vegetables also protect your enamel from decay.
Flossing Your Teeth
Flossing helps remove bacteria and food debris from between your teeth. Your toothbrush might miss these tricky areas, leading to tooth decay from plaque built up due to sugar found in food like candy, soda or coffee feeding its growth; unchecked it could even lead to tooth loss if left untreated.
Failing to floss can also introduce bacteria into your bloodstream and lead to issues like heart disease. Accordingly, both the American Academy of Periodontology and American Dental Association suggest flossing at least daily – ideally before bed.
Many people fail to floss properly, leading them down the path toward bleeding gums and other health complications. To properly floss, start with about 18 inches of floss in both hands. Wind the bulk around both middle fingers with about three or four inches left between fingers so you can use both thumbs and index fingers to move the floss along between your tooth contacts.
When you are ready to floss, separate the fingers of each hand and guide a clean section of floss into the spaces between your teeth. Once in position, coil it around one tooth into a C shape before gradually sliding it along until reaching the contact point between gum tissue and floss – never force or drag the floss further than necessary as this could irritate or cut gum tissue.
Continue to floss between all of your teeth on one side, before switching sides and repeating this process on the opposite side. When finished, carefully take out and discard your floss into a trash can; reuse could reintroduce harmful bacteria back into your body.
Consistent brushing and flossing habits are key to helping protect against cavities, but healthy eating habits are equally as vital. Try to limit sugary drinks, increase vegetable and fruit consumption and drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Here are some tips on flossing:
- Floss at least once a day. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends flossing once a day, but you may need to floss more often if you are prone to plaque buildup or gum disease.
- Use a soft-bristled floss. Hard-bristled floss can damage your gums.
- Floss gently. Don’t snap the floss into your gums.
- Floss in a C-shape. Wrap the floss around each tooth in a C-shape to clean the surface and the space between the teeth.
- Floss all the way to the gum line. Plaque can build up below the gum line, so it’s important to floss all the way down.
- Floss between all your teeth. Don’t forget to floss the back teeth, where plaque is more likely to build up.
- Floss after brushing. This will help to remove any plaque that was missed by the toothbrush.
If you find flossing difficult, you can try using a water flosser. Water flossers use a stream of water to clean between your teeth, and they can be a good option for people with sensitive gums.
Here are some additional tips for flossing:
- Floss at the same time each day. This will help you to make it a habit.
- Make flossing a part of your bedtime routine. This is a great way to end your day and get a fresh start in the morning.
- Floss with a friend. This can make flossing more fun and help you to stay motivated.
- Take breaks. If you find flossing difficult, take breaks throughout the day.
- Be patient. It takes time to learn how to floss effectively.
By following these tips, you can learn how to floss effectively and improve your oral health.
Routine Dental Visits in Scottsdale and Downtown Phoenix, Arizona
One of the best ways to prevent cavities is to visit their dentist regularly for checkups. Scheduling biannual appointments allows hygienists to provide more thorough cleanings than what you can achieve on your own, and detect issues like plaque and tartar before they cause further harm.
Brushing can do an outstanding job at clearing away most food particles and bacteria that cause decay, but it cannot reach all areas of your teeth with its bristles alone. In fact, estimates show that when brushing, approximately 35% of surfaces of teeth remain missed. That is where flossing comes in – its delicate fibers reach into hard-to-reach places that cannot be reached with regular brushes alone.
When flossing, start by starting with approximately 18 inches of floss tightly wrapped around your middle fingers. Gently glide the floss between two of your teeth while gently rubbing both sides against both teeth as well as the gum line; be mindful not to press too hard as this could harm gum tissue or dislodge fillings. As you move from pair to pair of teeth, slowly glide the floss up and down gently between them; continue until all your teeth have been cleaned; remembering to always use new sections each time, since using old pieces can buildup bacteria quickly!
Flossing is essential to dental health as it allows you to clear away any food debris stuck between your teeth, which could otherwise become stuck and create cavities – leaving a hard or sticky food stuck between teeth can encourage bacteria growth, leading to erosion of tooth enamel and cavities that require treatment, including pain, tooth loss and serious dental issues. Eating a balanced diet including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as limiting sugary drinks is one way of helping prevent decay; drinking lots of water also helps flush away food debris for healthy teeth!
Contact Us at one of two locations in Scottsdale & Phoenix
Floss would undoubtedly be one of the tools a dentist would bring if she were stuck on an island and limited to taking only one tool – it does something no other dental tool can match in terms of cleaning between teeth. Furthermore, floss is essential in preventing cavities as it removes food debris while simultaneously reducing plaque bacteria which feed on sugary foods that feed their growth; ultimately leading to tooth decay which leads to holes and pain in teeth.
Brushing two times daily for at least two minutes each time is key to preventing cavities and protecting tooth enamel from acid, which damages it over time and eventually leads to cavities. Furthermore, regular rinsing with water helps clear away food debris and bacteria build-up that could otherwise wreak havoc with teeth and cause cavities.
At least once daily, it’s essential to floss at nighttime before going to sleep – ideally before bed. Sleep-related saliva production drops off significantly and allows more plaque build-up on teeth and gum lines; flossing can remove this extra plaque and bacteria that brushing may miss, helping prevent gum disease.
Although following these daily habits is essential, it’s also vital that you visit a dentist regularly – this will allow for deeper cleaning than can be achieved at home and help identify cavities early when they may be easier to treat.
Whether you need help learning how to properly floss or need more information on how to avoid cavities, get in touch with us right away and schedule an appointment – our number is 480-860-0092 ! We look forward to welcoming you into our office! Our staff of oral care experts is ready to answer all of your questions and offer you exceptional oral care to keep that smile shining bright! Our aim is for you to maintain natural teeth for life, so when cavities do form we aim to repair them quickly and seamlessly with minimal impact to your smile. That is why we provide various dental restoration options such as fillings and crowns as repair solutions when cavities do develop; let us restore both shape and function back into your smile as quickly as possible!
