3rd June 2019 | Posted by: SpaDental Administrator
We know that flossing helps to maintain a healthy mouth, but some of us worry we may do it wrong, or we’re just not certain we’re getting it right. Dental hygienist Sarah Henry at SpaDental Glastonbury has put together useful tips to help us with daily flossing.
Expert advice so your time spent flossing helps keep your whole mouth healthy
Dental hygienistSarah Henry offers valuable advice on how to clean between your teeth with dental floss. While Sarah believes that flossing helps, she emphasises:
“Patients should attend regular appointments with dentists and hygienists so that their home care is regularly reviewed and advice on oral hygiene aids can be tailored to their individual needs.”
Since qualifying from Birmingham Dental Hospital, Sarah Henry has gained considerable experience in the field of oral hygiene. Sarah is one of the SpaDental Glastonbury team.
Sarah’s top tips for effective flossing
Why do we need to floss?
The tooth surface that is inaccessible with a brush requires some form of interdental cleaning on a daily basis.
The use of interdental aids allows for the removal of food debris from between the teeth. Even more importantly, interdental cleaning disturbs the layer of bacteria continually forming on the surface of the teeth as dental plaque.
Disturbing the bacteria helps keep gums and teeth healthy which is not only important for our mouths, but also for our general health.
How do we do it well?
It can be tricky to master the correct use of dental floss. Here are a few tips to help first timers, and reminders for regular users:
Getting ready
Always use a wall or shaving mirror when using floss. A mirror image is not always easy to work with initially, but it helps if you can see what you are doing, as well as feel the action. It will lead to a much better result.
Wear glasses if you normally need them for close work.
Use a length of dental floss about 45cm (18 inches) long.
Wrap enough dental floss around the middle finger of one hand to allow you to gently pull on the floss without it coming unwrapped.
Wrap the remainder of the dental floss around the middle finger of the other hand leaving 1-2 inches of dental floss between your fingers.
Tuck all your fingers, except your index fingers, into the palm of your hands.
Use your index fingertips to manipulate the floss, placing these fingertips on the floss.
Starting right
When learning to use the dental floss, start between your lower front teeth.
Use the fingertip of one of your index fingers to take the floss into the mouth behind the front teeth and the other fingertip to hold the floss in the mouth on the lip side of the teeth so that the floss is above the space between a pair of teeth.
Keep the floss taut and gently tease the floss between the teeth. Gently move it back and forwards into the space.
You will probably feel the dental floss passing through a point where you meet some resistance where the teeth touch each other. This is called the contact point.
When the floss is between the teeth and below the contact point, wrap the floss around one of the teeth making a C shape with the floss and then move the floss up and down the tooth surface.
Be sure to maintain contact with the tooth surface at all times and use the floss up to the contact point and down to the gum margins taking the floss into a naturally occurring crevice between the gums and teeth
To remove the dental floss, keep it taut and tease it out from between your teeth.
And then keep on going
As you work around your mouth, use a new section of your floss by unwrapping it from one finger onto the other.
Be patient with yourself!
Like any new skill, easy and effective use of floss can take a while to master.
Try to floss your teeth at the same time every day. Before you brush your teeth last thing at night is a popular time and helps to establish the habit.
If you’re new to flossing, start with just a few teeth. Build up the number of teeth you floss as you find it easier until you are flossing between all your teeth.
Experienced flossers work methodically around all the spaces between teeth.
Sarah’s final tip:
Remember to floss the tooth surface on either side of a gap and to floss the back of the last four teeth furthest back in your mouth!
SpaDental Whitchurch dentist is accepting new private patients. A new patient testimonial After the closure of my local dentist in Whitchurch I telephoned Spa Dental who made me an appointment. Unfortunately I had an abscess on my tooth before my appointment date, for which I was given an emergency appointment. I am a very nervous patient and it took a long time to build confidence with my old dentist , therefore my nerves were bad and I…
Plymouth dentists "excellent care" and "professional service"
Kind words from our patients mean a lot to us. Thank you! We're very happy to read reviews that commend the Plymouth team and the dentists "excellent care" and "professional service". Recent patient reviews commend our excellent care: "In safe and caring hands - Without exception the treatment I have received has been outstanding. From the reception staff through each of the individuals involved, their focus is on you and you're fully involved in any…
We very much enjoyed reading the lovely Saltash patient reviews we've received in response to our recent request for feedback. On behalf of all the staff, thank you so much for your lovely comments. We sincerely appreciate your kind words, and will also use your recommendations in our planning. SpaDental considers your review comments carefully. We read them all, and use the information we gather to guide our practice so we can keep on improving…
A very appreciative thank you to our patients from the clinicians and staff at SpaDental Chard. It has been a pleasure reading your comments because if our patients are happy, then we're happy. Feedback about the team and treatment from SpaDental Chard reviews "Everyone in the practice is efficient, professional and knowledgeable." - HCG "5 Star Dental Care - Being in the centre of Chard, [the SpaDental] surgery is easily accessible for most patients. The…
Plymouth patient reviews and suggestions - thank you!
SpaDental Plymouth sincerely thanks everyone who responds to our request to review the practice. We love reading all your positive comments. That said, we also take on board the suggestions you make. Because we take Plymouth patient reviews seriously, we read them carefully to see if anyone is less than satisfied with their experience and we use that information to guide our practice. Our review rating of 4.7 stars (out of 5) highlights Plymouth patient…
Reviews Tewkesbury - thank you for your appreciation.
This last week we asked our patients who have visited the practice in the last few months to submit their comments online. We truly appreciate your kind comments. Thank you from all of us for your lovely reviews. Read about our new treatment for patients who have breathing difficulties while they're sleeping. Your opinion is important. Amongst other questions, we ask patients whether or not they would recommend the surgery to their family and friends.…
"Absolutely delighted" with veneers - SpaDental Whitchurch, Shropshire
A glowing testimonial for Dental Surgeon - veneers SpaDental Whitchurch Shropshire. Veneers SpaDental Whitchurch Shropshire "Excellent treatment! Absolutely delighted! Dr Jindal replaced two veneers for me, providing throughout brilliant treatment. He advised me of the options for the veneers and I opted for the better quality ones. The whole process was methodical and precise, keeping me informed step by step during the whole procedure. Great attention to detail was given to myself and the implants…
High praise for Lucy Smith and Maria Shrigley, Plymouth.
Dental Surgeon and her assistant are helping anxious patients to manage dental visits more easily. High praise for the team! We know that it can be hard for people to come in to see the dentist. Here's one message: "I just wanted to say a huge thank you for your care at my recent dental visit. Lucy, I know because of your care and attention to my needs I feel so much better attending an…
We really appreciate all the reviews we're getting from patients who visit SpaDental Plymouth. Your feedback helps us feel confident we give good advice and offer a great dental service to Plymouth patients. Thank you! Here are some recent reviews: These two reviews highlight the importance of regular examination of the soft tissues in the mouth. "I feel... grateful to [my dentist] for referring me to Derriford hospital for a lump to be removed from…
Approval ratings are high for Ledbury! Thank you for your reviews.
At SpaDental Ledbury we're enjoying reading your reviews! In April, we asked you to share your experiences with us. We've been emailing our patients to ask you to fill in on-line forms so that we know how your appointments went. It's been heart-warming to read the kind things that you've said about us in your reviews. Thank you! Here are a few of the comments that we've received: "Very professional. Always polite and helpful. Easy…
Patients booking new appointments will be charged at the new April rates, which are currently being updated on our website. The good news is that for new patient plans there is no longer a coronavirus surcharge on top of the treatment fees:)