Second only to brushing, dental flossing is the most important way to maintain good oral hygiene and keep your mouth healthy. Brushing teeth gets most of the bacteria that causes cavities and other gum disease; however, bacteria can hide in between the teeth, and everyone needs to floss in order to reach those small places. It takes plaque 24 hours to build back up on the surface of your teeth. So, with that being said, dental flossing needs to happen at least once a day to keep from any problems arising.

It takes only 24 hours for plaque to turn into tartar. Tartar is calcified plaque that is formed by the minerals and fluids in your mouth. It is very important that this is done every day because plaque and tartar can lead to more severe problems if it is not treated in time. When plaque is fully calcified, only a dentist and his professional tools can properly remove it. Once it gets to that point, dental flossing and brushing will not do the job.

There are a few different kinds of material and tools that people can use for dental flossing. Everybody has different needs, so consulting with a dentist to find the right one is necessary. The basic form comes either waxed or unwaxed. This kind also comes wound up so people have to tear a piece off. To get good control with it, people have to wrap it around the fingers. Companies now make some that is held in place and has a handle on it so a person can navigate better with it. This makes things a lot easier and faster. For people that have bridges or other kinds of dental hardware in their mouth, companies have come up with a kind that can be threaded under the equipment.

Believe it or not, there is a particular way you can do this that will give people the best chance of preventing and fighting plaque and tartar build-up. First, you tear off 18 inches of material, and wind the ends around the middle finger of each hand. Your thumb and index finger can now be used to grip it. Doing all of that should leave about 1 inch to be used for the dental flossing. Move it in a simple sideways motion to get between the teeth. Curve it to where it is shaped like the letter “C” to get around the sides of the teeth better. Slide it over the gum line very gently to prevent bleeding. The gum line is a fragile area, but it still needs to be cleaned. Sometimes it may be needed to move it in an up and down motion to reach certain places. Periodically stop and rewind the material around your fingers, moving the worn out section down so a new section can be used. If someone has never done this before, some bleeding of the gums can be expected. This should stop occurring in about a week or so. If it does not stop, check with a dentist to see what is going on.

Houston Dentist is an expert in cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic dental teeth procedures and dental flossing.

For your dental needs please contact us at http://www.houstondentists.org/

Author Bio: Houston Dentist is an expert in cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic dental teeth procedures and dental flossing.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Dental Flossing, Oral Hygiene, Oral Health, Dentistry, Prevent Gum Disease