Does flossing make gaps between teeth wider?
Some people think that if the dental floss moves between the teeth for a long time, it will make the teeth bigger and affect the appearance. In this regard, experts have explained.
Between the root of the tooth and the bone is a thin membrane called the periodontal ligament. It has elasticity, which is equivalent to the shock absorber and spring in the mouth, and has a buffering effect. When the floss is inserted between the teeth, a physiological gap is created. Within the elastic range of the periodontal ligament, the gap disappears after the floss is pulled out. Due to the cushioning of the periodontal ligament, flossing does not widen the gaps between the teeth.
Dental floss is flat in shape and thin in thickness. It is designed around the natural gaps between teeth without widening them. In countries where flossing has become more common, the incidence of dental caries and periodontitis has decreased accordingly.
Tip:
You can floss at night before going to bed. If you can't guarantee daily use, you can wash it every two or three days or once a week. At the same time, clean each tooth as best you can.
How to use dental floss
Dental floss consists of multiple strands of fine nylon filaments. The specific usage method is:
1. Take a 15-20cm long piece of dental floss and tie the two ends together to form a loop.
2. Pull the loop tight with the index finger and thumb of both hands. The distance between two fingers is 1-1.5cm. Gently run the floss across the contact area between the two teeth in a seesaw motion. Do not press too hard as this may damage your gums.
3. Put the dental floss close to the neck of the tooth surface and wrap it in a C shape. The floss sticks to the tooth surface and goes below the gingival margin. Rub up and down repeatedly to remove plaque on the tooth surface. .
4. Repeat 4-5 times on each tooth surface. Then wrap the floss around the other tooth surface in the same gap, and repeat the above action.
5. After removing plaque from an area, rinse your mouth with water to rinse off the scraped plaque.
Benefits of Flossing
The appearance of dental floss in the market can be called a new revolution in the way of cleaning teeth. Thousands of people have benefited a lot from it, relieved the troubles of dental diseases, maintained periodontal health, and reduced the incidence of dental diseases. other illnesses. Dental floss is now widely used in developed countries. It is an indispensable daily necessities for people to travel at home. Floss your teeth after meals, just like you wash your hands before meals and rinse your mouth after meals. An indispensable program in life.
Dental floss and the heart may seem unrelated, but they are not. According to a report by the British "Daily Mail" on November 6, dental disease is no less harmful to the heart than hyperlipidemia. Flossing can prevent oral disease and greatly reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. For this reason, American anti-aging expert Michael Roizen even pointed out that using dental floss every day can make you live 6.4 more years. It has been clinically found that people who often suffer from pulpitis and periodontitis have an increased incidence of heart disease. That's because an infection of the pulp and periodontal tissue can cause bacterial toxins to enter the bloodstream, eventually "damaging" your heart.
Compared with toothpicks, because toothpicks are thicker, they cannot go deep into the teeth, and the cleaning effect is greatly reduced. Flossing is effective in removing residue between teeth and plaque on adjacent surfaces of teeth. Unfortunately, Chinese people rarely have the habit of using dental floss.
Disadvantages of flossing
Flossing can do more harm than good if not done properly. However, flossing your teeth is not easy. It requires a dexterous and strong hand so that it can easily maneuver in the mouth, especially at the back of the mouth. Most people have no control over it. Rather than removing plaque, most people simply push the plaque that remains between the teeth and under the gums. Another common mistake is that people like to pull the floss back and forth like a saw. This won't remove plaque effectively, but it will damage the gums.
