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Posts Tagged ‘City of Leeds Dentist Flossing’

Focus on Flossing

Thursday, June 18th, 2015

357249_blogMost people are aware of the benefits of brushing their teeth, but flossing is often overlooked. We strongly recommend flossing to our patients as it is an effective means of cleaning the mouth and preventing plaque formation.

What exactly is flossing?

Flossing is a cleaning technique that involves threading dental floss through gaps between the teeth and along the gum line. The aim of flossing is to clean the mouth and remove food debris and bacteria. This helps to prevent plaque formation and therefore has major benefits for your oral health. Plaque is a sticky film that appears on the teeth and gums. It is made from bacteria, leftover food debris and saliva and contributes to decay and gum disease.

Flossing is really important because it cleans parts of the mouth that are hard to reach with a toothbrush. You can’t fit a toothbrush in the gaps between your teeth, but you can fit floss through and this ensures a much deeper and more thorough clean.

How should I floss?

When you are flossing, cut a fairly long piece of tape and gently pass it through the gaps between your teeth. Use a new piece of floss for every tooth and avoid pulling at the tape. If you tug at the floss you might cause damage to your gums, so be gentle.

It’s advisable to floss between all your teeth and also to clean the gum line.

Is it normal for the gums to bleed?

If your gums start to bleed when you floss, it may be a sign of gum disease, especially if you are used to flossing and floss on a regular basis. If you’ve never flossed before, your gums might bleed and feel slightly sore the first couple of times you do it. This is completely normal but if bleeding persists, we recommend making an appointment with your dentist.

If you’re unsure about flossing, would like tips on flossing technique or recommendations about which kind of dental floss to buy, our dental team will be happy to help.

Freshen Up by Flossing in Addition to Brushing

Monday, April 20th, 2015

357249_blogIf you’re looking for ways to freshen up and make your smile sparkle this spring, why not add a couple of extra minutes to your daily oral hygiene regime and incorporate flossing or inter-dental brushing? You often hear dentists stressing the importance of flossing in addition to brushing, but the reality is that most people focus solely on brushing.

Why is flossing so beneficial?

Flossing involves passing very thin tape known as dental floss through the cracks between the teeth. It helps to dislodge food debris and remove bacteria and it’s really important because it cleans the parts of the mouth that can’t be reached easily with a toothbrush. Flossing helps to reduce the risk of plaque formation, which in turn decreases the chances of decay, bad breath and gum disease. Flossing can also help to reduce staining and discolouration.

How often should I floss?

We recommend flossing on a daily basis. It only takes a minute or two, but it can really make a difference to oral health. If you have any questions about flossing or you’d like advice on how to floss, our dentists and dental hygienists will be happy to help.

Alternatives to flossing

If you don’t like flossing or you find it too fiddly, we recommend using inter-dental brushes. These small, hand-held brushes are specially designed to clean between the teeth. They come in various sizes and your dentist can show you how to use them.

Should my gums bleed when I floss?

If you’re flossing for the first time, you may find that your gums bleed because you’re not used to it. However, if you’re used to flossing and you notice bleeding, this may be a sign of gum disease and we advise you to call and make an appointment.

Going beyond the Brushing in the City of Leeds

Thursday, October 31st, 2013

464425_blogThere is nothing wrong with using a good old fashioned toothbrush in the city of Leeds; it is a very good way of removing bacteria off the surfaces of your teeth and there are some absolute crackers to choose from on sale in the shops- along with the toothpastes that go with them. But it is proven that sometimes, just brushing is not enough to get a thorough job done and get in between the nooks and crannies between the teeth and up about the gums. This is why you need to enlist the help of other gadgets- especially as you get older and gaps start to appear between your teeth. So then, you would be wise to go out and buy a spool of dental floss, maybe some tiny inter-dental brushes and a mouthwash too, and when you have them, learn to use them properly so that you can remove all the food from your teeth and gums, as this can lead to bacteria setting in and plaque forming. If you want to cover all bases, ask your dentist for advice about what’s out there for you. Get this right in the long run and you will be avoiding some extremely nasty conditions rocking up in your mouth in the future.

The many reasons to Floss between your teeth in Leeds

Sunday, October 6th, 2013

510441_blogYour oral hygiene should be one of the most important parts of your day in Leeds and so you need to practise using all of the products you have in order to get the best results you can. This will of course involve brushing your teeth at least twice a day. But brushing isn’t always enough, as it can’t always quite get into places where food can get stuck and where bacteria loves to thrive; flossing though will get into these places. Flosses come in all sizes, so you may well have to test a few out before you can get the one that suits you just right. Then of course, you have to learn how to work it between your teeth so, practise makes perfect. Working it out in front of the mirror is a good way forward here and the more effort you put in, the easier the technique will become and hopefully, you’ll be able to do this in the dark after a while. Don’t be afraid to ask your dentists either if you are having problems; they will be more than willing to help you out with this.

City of Leeds Dentist Recommends Regular Flossing

Wednesday, July 4th, 2012

While most of us having brushing firmly set within our daily dental health routine, flossing is something that we often know we should be doing but perhaps forget to be quite so vigilant about. Throughout the day food can build up between the teeth, these food particles can then in turn develop into plaque. Plaque is a film of bacteria that can eat away at the enamel of your teeth, eventually damaging the central root of your tooth until the tooth is beyond repair. Flossing is the best preventative measure for removing food and plaque from in between your teeth before damage can occur.

Regular flossing, of course alongside brushing, can help stop gum disease, tooth decay, bad breath and a wide range of dental issues. Gum disease is the infection and inflammation of your gums caused by the build up of bacteria in the lining of the gum. The infection can eventually kill the tooth root (requiring its removal) if left untreated. Carefully flossing above and below of the gum line can removing the bacteria that may cause infection. In places inaccessible to your tooth brush, plaque will build up and damage your teeth. Flossing can reach these places in the tight spaces between the teeth and removing any damaging plaque or food particles before they damage anything. The breakdown of food by the bacteria in your mouth is a common cause of bad breath, flossing will remove these materials and possibly eliminate any bad breath.

Floss comes in a wide range of different shapes, sizes and forms. If you are at all unsure about the best type ask your City of Leeds dentist for advise, they will be happy to suggest what would work best for your personal needs.