Flossing Q&A: Making Good Choices

When you find yourself getting down into the details of dental hygiene, you may discover that the particulars surrounding brushing and flossing are surprisingly vast. If you think that as long as you’re giving your hygiene your best shot that you’re optimizing your care at home, you might be wrong! It’s very important that you practice preventive care accurately to see the results you want. To help you along with your flossing habits, we offer some extra info you might not have gathered up just yet.

Questions and Answers

Question: Is it normal for it to hurt when I floss my smile? I am usually pretty aggressive to make sure that I get everything clean.

Answer: It’s never normal for it to hurt when you floss. It’s normal for it to feel a little strange or uncomfortable if you have been away from flossing for some time but this should resolve very quickly. Do not use aggressive motions or force when flossing. Use an approach that is delicate yet thorough. If it still hurts, call us right away for a visit.

Question: Can I just replace my flossing during dental hygiene with my toothbrush? I’m pretty good at wiggling the bristles between my teeth.

Answer: Slipping your bristles between teeth may seem like a shocking discovery that should work wonderfully. However, nothing replaces flossing for thorough cleaning between teeth, behind back teeth, and just beneath your gum tissue.

Question: Should I be flossing as many times a day as possible? I really don’t want plaque to turn into tartar or to end up with cavities or gum disease.

Answer: Actually, you just need to floss one time every day for dental hygiene that yields excellent results. You’re free to floss more frequently but you don’t need to.