Flossing is a very important part of cleaning your teeth. The areas between your teeth are prime places for food debris, bacteria and plaque to accumulate and you can’t reach those areas with your toothbrush.
As our dentists, Dr. Zachary Bird and Dr. Albert Bird can tell you, for optimum oral health, you need to floss at least once a day. But if you have trouble holding your arms up, or have range –or motion issues, using regular dental floss may be difficult. A floss threader can be used to easily floss your teeth, and a floss pick can also do a good job. These tools can make flossing easier, and are especially useful if you have a bridge, braces, or other dental work. You may also want to try a powered flosser. These electric flossers do the same job as regular dental floss, but move the thread back and forth for you, requiring less use of your arms. A water flosser uses a jet of water to clean between your teeth and does not need the same effort as dental floss. If you have missing teeth or they are widely-spaced, you may want to use floss tape. Talk to your dentist during your next visit about what flossing alternative is best for you.
No matter what method you use to clean between your teeth, it’s important that you do so at least once a day. Since braces can make it harder to reach those areas, you should floss after each meal and snack. To find out more about flossing alternatives in Tacoma, Washington, call 253-475-8934 today to schedule an appointment at Bird Family Dentistry.