“Have you been flossing?” The dreaded question asked by dentists everyday, everywhere.
Flossing is a chore that many people neglect. Most people don’t include it daily in their dental hygiene, but as you probably know, it is a very important daily habit.
We like to think of flossing as cleaning a car, if you take the garbage out right away your car will look and smell great! But if you leave the container of McDonald’s fries in the back seat, your car will be stained and forever smell like fries. (Trust us, we have kids too so we know the struggle is real!) In this blog post, we want to share 3 Secrets to Make Flossing Easier for you. We don’t want leftover McDonald’s fries to stay in your mouth forever!
Find What Works For You
There are an abundance of ways to floss! Whether you use a water pick, a disposable flosser, or flossing string, as long as you’re flossing, we call that a win! Not everyone has the same routines and habits so it’s important to floss in a way that fits you. You can floss in the morning, right before you go to bed, or even in the shower. We encourage you to floss daily but it doesn’t matter when or where!
Don’t Be Scared of Blood
This one may seem obvious, but many people’s gums bleed when flossing isn’t part of their daily routine. This is TYPICAL, and should improve with regular flossing! Plenty of people avoid flossing because they’re afraid of bleeding, but if you don’t let fear hold you back you’ll be pleasantly surprised with your results! Once flossing becomes a habit, the bleeding should stop within 3-10 days. We understand if blood is a really hard issue for you to overcome, luckily we are experts in this area and have a helpful solution! A great way to reduce blood is by swishing saltwater in your mouth. Saltwater can help reduce bacteria and encourage healthy and natural healing. If you do this right after you floss, it should decrease the bleeding.
Use The Right Type of Floss
Like we mentioned earlier, there are many ways to “floss.” This includes what type of floss you use. Generally we suggest using unwaxed floss because the individual filaments within it clean easier than the bound filaments of waxed floss. But, if you need a little more sleep between your teeth, waxed floss might be a better option for you.
We also recommend making sure you’re using the right size floss. This can be a little tricky to figure out. Basically, if the gaps in your teeth are bigger then you should use bigger floss. If the gaps are smaller, then use a smaller floss. If you need help determining which size or style is best for your mouth don’t hesitate to ask us at your next appointment!
Some other great alternatives to traditional string floss are flossing picks and water picks. The bottom line is, it’s just about doing what makes you most comfortable so you can develop a life long healthy habit!
We love flossing and we love people who floss (and if you don’t floss, don’t worry, we still love you too!) By applying these 3 Secrets to Make Flossing Easier we hope you find yourself flossing more regularly and with more ease.
This habit can help your mouth to be like a shiny new car, instead of one that has hidden fries under the back seat.
If you have any questions about flossing, how to make it easier, or anything else feel free to call us at (509) 927-5909 or talk to us at your next appointment!