Technique Is Key When It Comes To Flossing

Flossing doesn’t have as many scientific studies as it maybe should. The American Dental Association has said for decades that flossing is an important part of your tooth-cleaning regimen, but the studies help us understand how it helps and exactly how important it is compared to brushing. Because while flossing can prevent cavities, some of the studies that do exist show that the timing and the technique matter.

For one thing, flossing is easy to do when you’re on the go. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth after every meal because the less time food sticks around in your mouth, the less time it has to feed the bacteria that dissolve enamel. But that’s not always feasible when you’re at work, at school, or on the road, because you need to be able to rinse out your mouth when you brush with toothpaste. You would also need to carry around a brush and a tube of toothpaste.

Floss is much more portable, especially if you pack a floss pick or two rather than the traditional container. Flossing doesn’t let you clean off plaque as thoroughly as brushing, but it can at least get rid of every bit of food stuck between your teeth. Just make sure the pick is clean before you put it in your mouth.

The technique is another important factor in whether flossing is effective or not. When you floss, you need to push the string all the way down to the roots and move it from side to side to dislodge the plaque along every exposed millimeter of your teeth. Just popping the floss between your teeth in one quick motion might be enough to get the food out, but it’s also important to clear out the plaque your toothbrush can’t reach.

In one study, children had their teeth flossed every school day by professionals, and over two years they had 40 percent fewer cavities than their classmates. Other flossing studies have been inconclusive, most likely because they didn’t divide flossers by how good or bad their technique was. But the professional flossing study shows that technique is very important to effectiveness, so make sure not only that you floss but also that you do it right.