Flossing: The Frequently Asked Questions

Regular visits to your dentist are essential for good oral hygiene, but you also need to set up good habits for dental care at home. Regular brushing is a habit instilled in most of us as children, but statistics compiled for the Oral Health Foundation reveal that fewer than a quarter of British adults use dental floss regularly and a third have never flossed their teeth at all. Let’s take a closer look at dental floss and answer some of the frequently asked questions.

What is Dental Floss?

Dental floss is a long plastic thread that is thin enough to fit into the gap between teeth. It can be used to aid oral hygiene in places where the bristles of your regular toothbrush cannot reach.

How Should I Use Dental Floss?

After washing your hands, snap off a long piece of floss and wrap each end round the middle fingers of both hands. You can then grip the central couple of inches between the thumb and forefinger of each hand and pull it tight. Slide the dental floss around each tooth and gently move it up and down. Be gentle around the gumline.

How Often Should I Floss?

Provided you are doing it properly, flossing once a day should be sufficient to maintain good interdental hygiene. If you have any uncertainties about taking up flossing, then you should speak to your dentist before you start.

What Should I Do if Flossing Makes my Gums Bleed?

A small amount of bleeding in the early days of a new flossing regime may be a result of larger pieces of interdental plaque being removed. However, bleeding gums should never be ignored. If bleeding persists, seek an appointment with your dentist as this could be indicative of gum disease. Another reason for bleeding gums when flossing can be poor technique. Your dentist or your dental hygienist should be able to help with this.

Floss First or Brush First?

Whichever you prefer. The order makes no difference it is the thoroughness with which you carry out the job that is important.

Wasn't There a Controversy about Flossing?

The American Dental Association has long been an advocate of regular flossing. They claim that, on top of removing pieces of food that have become stuck, the process can attack plaque and prevent gingivitis and gum disease. Last summer, the Associated Press claimed that the evidence upon which these claims were founded was unreliable. Professor Walmsley of the British Dental Association has called for "more sophisticated trials" that take into account the differences between people. It may be the case that flossing is an effective solution for some people, while others need to apply a different interdental cleaning technique. 

Are There Any Alternatives to Flossing?

Some people don’t like the feel of flossing. If this sounds like you, then you may find flossing easier using a floss holder instead of your fingers. Alternatively, interdental brushes - special brushes used as a supplement to your regular brushing - are available from pharmacists.

We hope that you have found this useful. Remember, if you have any concerns about your home oral hygiene routine, our team of dental hygienists will be more than happy to help.