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Flossing Options Leave Little Room for Excuses
The most common question about floss is when to do it. People want to know if they should floss before or after they brush. It doesn't really matter as long as it gets done about every 24 hours. Flossing is so important in the fight against gingivitis and dental decay that the fewer rules encumbering the user, the better.
The goals of brushing and flossing are the same. They are to remove plaque and food debris from the mouth. Seventy percent is removed by brushing; thirty percent is removed by flossing. By not flossing, almost a third of the available tooth surfaces remain covered with bacteria. Regardless of whether the toothbrush is manual or power driven, something must go between the teeth in order to disrupt these colonies at least once a day.
Floss has come a long way in the last 10 years. Gone are the days when there were only three choices. We now have woven floss, floss embedded with fluoride, floss coated with Teflon®, uncoated floss, whitening floss, thin floss, thick floss, a variety of flavored flosses, and others. Choose one that suits you as an individual. Get rid of any floss that causes you any trouble at all. Find a floss that works for you.
There are also gadgets you can use to remove the bacterial plaque from between your teeth if you just can’t manage floss. There are flossing machines, floss holders and floss substitutes. Your licensed dental hygienist will be able to help you get over any hurdles there may be. Ask or shop around on your own; the main thing is that something gets between your teeth once a day.
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