The Wisdom Tooth

Floss the teeth you want to keep is a great motivator to get started on flossing.

2 out of 5 surfaces of your teeth cannot be adequately reached with a toothbrush.

Not flossing your teeth allows bacteria to grow in the small space between your teeth which can affect the health of your teeth and gums.

These bacteria can then cause gum disease, tooth decay and bad breath.

There is a technique and some dexterity involved in flossing correctly.

If you feel uncomfortable or unsure about correct technique, a visit to your dentist can clear that all up.

• Draw about a 30cm piece of floss and wind it around your index or middle finger and run it across your thumbs.
• Gently go up between your teeth and just under the cuff of gum on one side of the gum triangle.
• Once you get some resistance, stop, go back out and gently go down the other side of the gum triangle.

If you can’t get your fingers to the right spots, you can use a flossing handle (shown below). Some flossing handles come pre-threaded while some you can thread a piece of floss from a box.

Larger gaps may require interdental brushes or irrigators in addition to floss.

You should try to floss once a day; first thing in the morning or at night, for about 2 minutes.

You should also help and encourage your kids to floss. Not only does it help set up great habits, but it can save you and them costly and avoidable dental care.

During orthodontic treatment, it is important to floss your teeth to prevent decay and clearing out food and plaque.

Floss threader or super-floss are great in these instances.

Remember you don’t need to floss all your teeth. Just floss the teeth you want to keep!

1. Tip 1: Brush your teeth twice daily!
2. Tip 2: Visit your dentist regularly!
3. Tip 3: Floss the teeth you want to keep!
4. Tip 4: Sugars can adversely affect your health!

By The Wisdom Tooth 5 August 2021

Between causing bouts of discomfort on unwary mouths and hiding in dark corners, the wisdom tooth shares snippets of wisdom from the field of dentistry.