Guide to Flossing Teeth from Hygienists: Frequency, Technique, and Benefits
Maintaining a healthy smile requires more than just a two-minute brushing routine. While your toothbrush is excellent at cleaning the front, back, and biting surfaces of your teeth, it is physically unable to reach the tight gaps where teeth touch. This is where interdental cleaning becomes essential.
As dental professionals, we often see the consequences of neglected interdental spaces, ranging from preventable decay to advanced periodontal disease. This guide provides an expert look at the mechanics of flossing, the biological necessity of the practice, and the professional techniques required for a truly clean mouth.
Why Flossing is Non-Negotiable
To understand the benefits of flossing, one must understand the nature of plaque. Plaque is a biofilm, a sticky, invisible layer of bacteria that constantly forms on the teeth. These bacteria feed on the sugars and starches from the food you consume, producing acids that slowly erode tooth enamel.
If plaque is allowed to remain in the gaps between teeth, it eventually mineralises into tartar (calculus). Tartar is a hard deposit that cannot be removed by a toothbrush, it requires professional scaling by a hygienist.
Over time, the presence of plaque and tartar irritates the gingival tissues, leading to inflammation known as gingivitis. If left untreated, this can progress to periodontitis, where the bone supporting the teeth begins to dissolve. By flossing daily, you are disruptively removing this biofilm from the areas a toothbrush cannot reach, effectively preventing the onset of gum disease and proximal cavities.
The Professional Technique: How to Floss
Efficiency in flossing is determined by technique rather than force. Many patients make the mistake of "snapping" the floss between the teeth, which can traumatise the delicate papilla (the triangle of gum tissue between teeth). To clean effectively without causing damage, follow this clinical standard for how to floss:
Length and Loading
Take a piece of dental floss approximately 45 centimetres (18 inches) long. Wrap the bulk of the floss around your middle fingers, leaving a small section of a few centimetres in the middle to work with. Using the middle fingers for storage allows your index fingers and thumbs to remain free to guide the floss with precision.
The Entry
Gently guide the floss between the teeth using a back-and-forth sawing motion. Do not force it. If the contact point between the teeth is very tight, a controlled zig-zag motion will help the floss glide through safely.
The C-Shape Technique
This is the most critical step. Once the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a "C" shape around the side of one tooth. You must ensure the floss dips slightly beneath the visible gum line to reach the sulcus, where bacteria often hide.
The Motion
Holding the floss tightly against the tooth surface, move it up and down several times. This friction is what physically breaks up the biofilm. Once you have cleaned one side of the gap, wrap the floss around the neighbouring tooth and repeat the process.
Fresh Sections
As you move from one interdental gap to the next, unroll a fresh section of floss from your finger. This ensures you are removing bacteria from the mouth rather than simply moving it from one tooth to another.
Frequency and Timing: When Should You Floss?
A common question posed to hygienists is whether one should floss before or after brushing. From a clinical perspective, the most important factor is that the task is completed thoroughly once every 24 hours.
However, flossing before brushing can be advantageous. By clearing the debris from between the teeth first, the fluoride in your toothpaste can more easily reach those proximal surfaces during the brushing process.
The timing, whether morning or evening, is a matter of personal preference. Many professionals recommend flossing at night before bed. During sleep, salivary flow decreases, which means the mouth’s natural buffering system against acids is less active. Removing food particles and plaque before sleep ensures that bacteria have less "fuel" to produce acid during the night.
Special Considerations: Flossing Teeth with Braces
Orthodontic treatment introduces a complex landscape of brackets and wires that act as magnets for food particles and plaque. For patients undergoing treatment, the standard flossing method is often hindered by the archwire. However, the risk of decalcification (white spots) and gingival inflammation is significantly higher during this period, making interdental hygiene more vital than ever.
When flossing teeth with braces, the use of a floss threader or a specialised orthodontic floss is required. A threader acts like a needle for the floss, allowing you to pass the strand behind the archwire. Once the floss is behind the wire, you can perform the standard C-shape technique against the tooth surface.
Alternatively, interdental brushes or water flossers can be excellent adjuncts. Interdental brushes come in various sizes and can slide underneath the wire to clean the gaps and around the brackets. While a water flosser is not a total replacement for the physical friction of string floss, it is highly effective at flushing out loose debris from complex orthodontic hardware.
Managing Challenges: Bleeding and Sensitivity
It is a common misconception that bleeding gums are a sign that you should stop flossing. In reality, bleeding is usually a symptom of existing inflammation (gingivitis). If you have not flossed regularly, the tissues may be sensitive and prone to minor bleeding as you begin the habit.
Within seven to ten days of consistent, daily flossing, the inflammation should subside, and the bleeding should stop as the gums become healthier and more resilient. If bleeding persists beyond two weeks of daily cleaning, it is essential to visit your dentist or hygienist to check for deeper issues or to ensure your technique is not overly aggressive.
Choosing the Right Tools
The "best" floss is the one that you are most likely to use. However, there are different types tailored to specific dental needs:
Waxed Floss: The wax coating allows the strand to glide more easily through very tight gaps or around rough fillings.
Unwaxed Floss: Some prefer the "squeaky clean" feel of unwaxed floss, though it is more prone to shredding if you have crowded teeth.
Dental Tape: Thicker and flatter than standard floss, dental tape is often more comfortable for individuals with wider gaps between their teeth.
Floss Picks: While convenient for on-the-go cleaning, they make it more difficult to achieve the necessary C-shape around the tooth. If using a pick, ensure you are still hugging the tooth surface rather than just "poking" the gum.
Key Takeaways
Interdental cleaning is a pillar of preventative healthcare. By dedicating just a few minutes a day to a proper flossing routine, you significantly reduce the risk of systemic inflammation, tooth loss, and expensive restorative treatments.
Remember that the goal is not just to remove food you can feel, but to disrupt the microscopic bacteria you cannot see. Consistency is the key to a lifetime of oral health.
Your hygienist can provide the tools and guidance, but the daily maintenance of your smile is in your hands. If you find traditional floss difficult to handle, speak with your dental professional about alternative interdental aids that suit your manual dexterity and dental anatomy.
