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Remember To Floss Away the Days Bacteria in LS1

Wednesday, May 28th, 2014

510441_blogMost people find the time to brush their teeth every day, but flossing is much less common. Surveys show that most people do not floss as frequently as recommended. Failing to floss could increase your risk of bad breath, cavities and gum disease. If you’re unsure how to floss, our hygienists and dentists will be happy to show you; flossing can make a massive difference to your oral health, as well as the look of your smile.

About flossing

Flossing involves using dental floss to clean the gaps between the teeth and the gum line; it is not painful and it doesn’t take long. It’s important to floss because you can’t clean all the areas of your mouth with a brush. The bristles of the brush can’t fit in the cracks between your teeth and it can be tricky to brush along the gum line properly. With floss, you can ensure you cover the areas you missed when you were brushing and this helps to prevent bacteria from lingering in your mouth.

If bacteria gather in your mouth, they join forces with leftover food particles and form plaque, which is very troublesome for your teeth and gums. Plaque is the sticky white film, which you can sometimes feel and see on your teeth when you first wake up in the morning; it can be removed really easily by brushing or flossing, but if it’s left, it can cause decay and gum disease.

How to floss

When you have your piece of dental floss, hold it between your thumb and fingers and guide it through the cracks between your teeth. Pass the floss through gently and never pull at it, as this can make your gums sore. Try to use a new piece of floss for every corner of the mouth and floss every day. If you have any questions or you can’t seem to get the hang of flossing, ask your dentist.

If you notice bleeding when you floss, this may be indicative of gum disease. If you are flossing for the first time, it is common for the gums to bleed, but if you’re used to flossing and you notice that your gums are bleeding, arrange to see your dentist so that they can check your gums.

Leeds dentists emphasise the importance of flossing

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

The purpose of brushing and flossing is to reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth that feed on food particles left over from eating. Bacteria feast on this food debris producing acids which cause damage to the enamel of the teeth, breaking it down and attacking the sensitive centre of the tooth. As if this wasn’t bad enough, bacteria and decaying food matter also cause over 90 per cent of cases of bad breath.

This collection of bacteria and decaying food is more commonly known as plaque. This can easily be removed by effective cleaning which involves brushing and flossing. Brushing removes plaque from the surface enamel of the teeth and gums but brushes are often unable to reach the more difficult spaces in the mouth that are breeding grounds for bacteria. People who brush but do not floss are exposing their teeth to the damaging effects of these bacteria. Some people equate brushing without flossing to having a bath and only washing two thirds of your body, such is the importance of flossing.

Leeds dentists recommend therefore that you should floss your teeth at least once a day to remove the plaque and trapped food from between the teeth and below the gum line, both places regular brushes are unable to clean. Cleaning below the gum line removes plaque which can build up in pockets destroying gum tissue and eventually loosening teeth. Leeds dentist can demonstrate the most effective way to floss teeth at your next check up appointment to help give your teeth the most complete protection.