What is more - benefit or harm from dental floss? What is dental floss for: the benefits of it Harm of dental floss.

Floss is a heavy-duty thread coated with a special polymer. The most widely used synthetic products made of viscose, acrylic, Teflon, nylon. Today, the range of threads with various impregnations: for fresh breath, strengthening enamel, reducing gum bleeding, disinfection, etc. The product is an addition to brushing and rinsing and in no way replaces these hygiene procedures.

Modern medicine has no evidence regarding the benefits of flossing. Moreover, there are many cases when this remedy caused chipping of tooth enamel, infection of the gums. However, many, having once tried this tool, buy dental floss again, claiming that only with it they gained confidence in their smile and got rid of bad breath.

Contraindications to the use of floss include:

• periodontal disease;
• gingivitis;
• caries.

If there is inflammation or soreness of the gums, severe bleeding, you suspect a carious lesion on the tooth, make an appointment with the dentist before using the floss. Based on objective data obtained during the examination of the oral cavity, the doctor will report on the possible risks when using this remedy. After appropriate treatment, it will be possible to perform a comprehensive cleaning of the teeth without fear.

Top 5 Flossing Mistakes

Dentists rightly note that problems in the oral cavity do not begin due to the use of dental floss, but because these manipulations are performed incorrectly. Among the typical mistakes:

• cleaning the lateral surfaces of different teeth with the same interval of floss;
• too frequent use. One or two times a day is enough;
• flossing before brushing and not rinsing after flossing;
• performing the procedure with unwashed hands.
• too deep insertion of the thread into the gum. The floss should fall into the interdental space just below the gum line, but without fanaticism.

Remember, if your gums bleed a little after you start flossing, this is normal. However, if the bleeding does not go away after 2 to 5 days, you should make an appointment with your dentist.

Floss is an additional tool that is necessary in everyday use to maintain oral hygiene. Dental floss helps to clean the interdental space and provides prevention of caries and periodontal diseases.

It is made of silk or thin artificial fibers, which are parallel to each other. Floss can be used to clean the oral cavity with fixed bridges, implants and orthodontic constructions. But this hygiene item is not used by everyone, because not everyone understands whether dental floss is still useful or harmful.

Why use floss to clean your teeth

Every person needs daily not only to prevent the development of dental diseases, but also for a more aesthetic and fresher smile. In everyday practice, most people use only toothpastes and brushes, however, their use is insufficient to clean the interdental spaces, and this task can be easily handled.

How to use

Proper use of dental floss will achieve maximum results and avoid undesirable consequences:

• Before carrying out the procedure, it is necessary to wash your hands thoroughly so that, upon contact with the teeth and gums, harmful microorganisms and substances do not enter the oral cavity.
• The floss fragment used should be between 20 and no more than 45 centimeters long. You can use a ruler to measure accurately.
• Wind the floss around the middle or index finger of the right hand and repeat the action on the other hand.
• To perform the next step, you need to tighten the dental floss and open your mouth freely, insert the floss into the interdental space. When moving the thread upwards with “sawing” movements, it is important that they are soft and gentle, no effort should be made, as this can cause.
• When cleaning the interdental space, do not forget to carry out the procedure both on the lower and on the upper.

Most adhere to the stereotype that when wearing braces, you cannot and should not use a thread. In fact, teeth with a system installed on them require more thorough care.

When cleaning dental structures, it is necessary to adhere to the following recommendations:

• Dental floss should be covered with wax. This is necessary so that it does not cling to the braces during the procedure for cleaning them.
• The required floss size is approximately 25 centimeters.
• First of all, it is necessary to clean the area under the bracket system, and then proceed to the interdental spaces.

Precautionary measures

When carrying out the process of cleaning the interdental space, it is important to pay attention to the floss itself, it should not tear when trying to remove it from the interdental space.

This may occur due to:

• Poor quality dental floss.
• The presence of caries on the contact surface of the teeth.
• Poorly made bridge, restoration, various rough surfaces, chips, etc.

Flossing is an essential oral care tool, but you should consult your dentist before using it. There are reasons why flossing should not be used, as it can worsen health conditions.

Contraindications to the use of dental floss:

• The presence of caries. When using a thread, damage to the tooth is possible, as it will cling to the affected areas.
• Bleeding gums. Flossing between teeth can damage the gums due to pressure and force. As a result, small wounds are formed, and when the manipulation is repeated, an acute inflammatory process may develop.
• Bridges and prostheses. If available, dental floss can be used, but only special and prescribed by the attending dentist.

If the gums bleed while flossing, this is a reason to consult a dentist for advice. Such symptoms may indicate the course of periodontal disease and the need for therapeutic action.

Opinion of dentists

In total, the teeth have five surfaces, a paste and a brush can clean only three of them from plaque - chewing, anterior and lingual.

The remaining two contact areas require additional care using floss.

If the distance between the teeth is too small, the effectiveness of such a tool is doubtful, however, with the right choice of thread and its proper application, the benefits are undeniable.

Inadequate cleaning of contact surfaces from plaque increases the risk of developing and exacerbating gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis. Caries developing in this area is practically invisible to an inexperienced specialist, so treatment can only be started at an already advanced stage.

Many believe that with prolonged use of the thread, the enamel on the walls of the teeth is worn down and, as a result of this process, the natural protection is violated, resulting in caries. However, according to the studies of the effect of dental floss on enamel, it was possible to determine that the rate of grinding of this layer does not depend on the frequency of flossing. The material from which the thread is made is no more hard than a toothbrush.

The opinion of experts boils down to the fact that the correct and regular use of well-chosen dental floss will help reduce the risk of developing various diseases in the oral cavity.

To ensure the most effective hygiene, experts recommend approaching this event in a complex way, using dental floss, rinse and brush with paste. For the correct choice of each of the means, ideally, you should consult a dentist. When using floss, it is important to learn how to use it correctly, in which case it will not cause any harm, and the benefits will be obvious.

Dental floss (aka “floss” or “floss”) is an additional tool for performing hygiene procedures in the oral cavity. The main purpose of dental floss is to thoroughly clean the interdental spaces and prevent the accumulation of plaque in this area. Thus, the correct use of the toothbrush, toothpaste and floss prevents the formation of dental deposits (such as plaque and calculus) and reduces the risk of developing diseases. Hygiene will be more effective if you also use mouth rinses and an irrigator.

Sometimes there are conflicting views on the use of dental floss: what is more from its use - benefit or harm?

Everything that has been mentioned above regarding the function of using floss already indicates that this device is useful. The main thing is to choose the right one and apply it correctly.

Modern dental floss can be made from a variety of materials:

• Natural (for example, silk);
• Artificial (nylon or teflon).

Nylon threads are widely used - as a certain compromise between other types of floss: nylon threads are quite reliable (stronger than silk ones) and at the same time not as expensive as Teflon ones.

Additional components can be added to the fibers of dental floss:

• Wax (the so-called waxed threads). These flosses are less effective than non-waxed flosses, but they are easier to get used to, so they are more suitable for those who are just starting to floss.
• Polymer components to reduce friction.
• Disinfectants.
• Mineralizing (for example, fluorinating) components.
• Flavorings and other "refreshing" substances (for example, menthol compounds).

Dental floss also differ in cross-sectional shape: flat and rounded. Flat flosses are well suited for cleaning tight interdental spaces; rounded, respectively, will be useful where there is a relatively wide gap between the teeth.

There are also "special purpose" threads - to help care for orthodontic or orthopedic structures.

The release form also differs: a coil (in this case, the user himself separates the piece of thread he needs) or on “holders”, where the pieces are already ready for use.

As you can see, floss manufacturers provide enough options for the thread to be as effective, convenient and useful as possible.

Can flossing be harmful?

Actually, yes. Like any therapeutic, prophylactic, hygiene product, floss can be harmful if used improperly. For example:

• There is a risk of mechanical damage. Often this concerns the gums.
• Flossing can be an unnecessary irritant for already inflamed gums.
• Excessively frequent brushing of teeth with floss is also undesirable (one application of floss per day is enough).

In order for the thread to be a source of only benefit, you need to get expert advice and choose a floss according to individual characteristics and the state of oral health. In addition, the doctor will explain in detail how to use the thread correctly. Remember that the proper implementation of "home" hygiene measures should be supplemented by periodic professional cleaning of the teeth (in the dentist's office).

You can make an appointment with a specialist and ask questions of interest at a conveniently located clinic of the Healthy Smile network.

Dental floss (floss) is a necessary hygiene item that is used to clean the interdental spaces. The distance between the teeth in most people is very small, because a toothbrush and even an irrigator cannot fully clean the entire surface of the crown. There is an opinion that floss is harmful, and this is true if it is not used. Dental flossing is no longer an additional tool for oral care, but a necessity. Floss between your teeth once or twice a day after brushing your mouth and before using mouthwash. Floss can be harmful if used incorrectly, like any other hygiene product, and it can also harm people with gum disease a little.

Dental floss should be selected individually.

There is a thin one for narrow gaps and a thicker one for clearing trems and diastemas. Floss can be waxed, flavored, saturated with beneficial substances that allegedly prevent tooth decay and gum disease. When cleaning gaps, floss penetrates into the area under the gingival papilla, where the brush does not reach, and this, undoubtedly, is its main benefit. Real harm can be in the case when cleaning the gaps is inaccurate, injuring the papilla and gums, pressing hard on the enamel and cleaning from the bottom up.

The benefits of floss

Dental floss is made from natural and synthetic fibers. Each species has its own benefits for one group of people and may harm another. Silk floss is rarely used, usually in the case of gum disease, when coarse material can be harmful, injuring the mucous membrane. Man-made fiber wins in strength, and does not break during use. In such a case, the natural thread can harm the nervous system when it breaks, which is very annoying.

There is Teflon dental floss, it costs more, but the benefits for teeth from such a floss are maximum.

Different manufacturers improve the threads by impregnating them with various bleaching, strengthening agents. Impregnation promises to keep the enamel healthy and even whiten it. These are all publicity stunts, and the only task of the thread is to clean the gap between the teeth from plaque. Whitening and strengthening of hard tissues are impossible tasks for a floss, and even if they are impregnated with something, it is absolutely useless. A person must make a decision on the choice of floss, and advertising is not the best adviser. Dentists recommend using unscented synthetic flosses.

What therapeutic effect do the impregnations promise?

1. Sodium fluoride - prevention of caries and protection of enamel from destruction;
2. Antiseptics - such an impregnation is designed to improve the microflora, bringing it into balance;
3. Floss with chlorhexidine - disinfects treatment areas.

Additional impregnation will not bring harm, but there is no benefit from it either.

Is there any harm from constant use of the thread?

We have to talk about the dangers of floss when there are any gum diseases or a person uses it incorrectly.

The injured papilla, with constant cleaning, is irritated and cannot heal in any way. When there is inflammation and soreness, it is not necessary to stop using the floss, it is enough to start cleaning, stepping back a little from the diseased papilla.

With bleeding gums, it is also better not to touch it, since you can get an infection, then the inflammation will drag on for a long time.

Ignorance of the rules of use and injury to an already diseased gum leads to conclusions about the dangers of floss, when it does not pose any danger at all. What is really harmful is to ignore the importance of cleaning the gaps between the teeth and remember about extra care when there is already a stone under the gum and inflammation.

What thread to choose?

Oral-B - the latest models are a monostructure of 145 nylon fibers in a polymer shell. During cleaning, they do not tear or get stuck, therefore they are very convenient for daily use. You can buy floss with different flavors.

Dontodent - a set for cleaning interdental spaces, represented by a thread fixed on a special stick, which allows you to conveniently clean without wrapping it around your finger.

Fresh Up Mint is an ordinary thread impregnated with a delicious flavor, 50 m long.

Glister is a one-piece thread with a minty smell, does not contain wax, after cleaning it leaves a pleasant taste in the mouth.

Lacalut - this thread is well suited for cleaning wide gaps. Made of nylon, waxed for easy glide, mint flavored.

To begin with, let's figure out what arguments dental doctors operate with. Dentists claim that only dental floss is able to penetrate the interdental spaces and remove food debris from there, due to which our teeth deteriorate (caries, gingivitis and other diseases develop). Allegedly, a regular brush is not capable of this.

British scientists absolutely agree with this. As a result of their study, it was proved that it is simply necessary to use a thread, since it is it that reduces the risk of gingivitis (inflammation of the gums). According to British experts, bacteria enter the bloodstream through a sore gum, which form clots in the blood that can lead to serious cardiovascular diseases. However, as you probably already saw for yourself, the purpose of this study was not so much to study the effectiveness of the threads, but rather the effect of all kinds of bacilli that gather in the oral cavity on the human circulatory system.

Nevertheless, quite a lot of scientists from all over the world have conducted experiments comparing the effectiveness of dental floss with an ordinary brush. As a result of their research, it turned out that the bristles of the brush are able to penetrate from hard-to-reach places only 35% of what flosses are capable of. Meanwhile, American experts went even further. Instead of comparing floss to a brush, they looked at the difference between floss and other interdental cleaners. Surprisingly, the thread proved to be ineffective. At least in comparison with brushes and irrigators. The latter proved to be much more productive.