Your dentist can tell whether you floss during an exam.
At a routine checkup, your dentist will not just look for cavities. A simple oral examination can reveal a lot more about your oral and overall health than you might think. Most dentists agree that at least 73% of people lie to their dentists, and 20% claim to have better flossing habits than they do.
How your dentist can tell whether you’re flossing or not
Gums
Your dentist can analyze your dental hygiene just by looking at your gums. If your gums bleed during cleaning, it may confirm that you do not have healthy gums. Bright red gums instead of fleshy pink gums are one of the first signs of poor dental hygiene.
Inflamed, bleeding gums are the result of not flossing and is the first stage of gum disease.
Teeth
Stained teeth are another indicator of poor dental hygiene. If you do not floss, a sticky substance called plaque forms on your teeth and along your gum line. This can cause your teeth to turn yellow.
Flossing aids in the removal of stain-causing substances that remain after you eat and drink.
Breath
Bacteria, plaque, and other potentially harmful substances can all contribute to bad breath. There may even be food stuck between your teeth, which indicates that you do not floss regularly.
Does flossing right before a dental appointment help?
Your dentist can see that you have not been flossing regularly even if you did a quick floss right before your visit. Your gums may still be bleeding and appear injured and irritated if you simply floss right before your dental checkup. Gums that are in good health appear tight and pink.
Just brushing your teeth twice a day without flossing can remove the plaque on the surface of your teeth and above your gum line. However, if you have large plaque deposits below your gums, it indicates you are not flossing as frequently as you may claim.
Even if you are not noticing these symptoms, a trained dentist can detect them and will tell you if you need to floss more.
How to floss properly
Dental flossing can help prevent cavities, which also improves your overall health. Here are 6 steps to doing it properly:
- Cut off about 20 inches of floss and wrap most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wrap the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand.
- Grip the floss between your thumbs and forefingers tightly.
- Begin by slipping the floss between your teeth. Using a gentle rubbing motion, guide the floss between your teeth. Never, ever snap the floss into your gums.
- Curve the floss into a C shape against one tooth once it reaches the gumline. Slide it gently into the space between the gum and the tooth.
- Maintain a firm grip on the floss against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss up and down away from the gum.
- Repeat this procedure for the rest of your teeth.
QUESTION
What causes tooth decay? See AnswerWhy is flossing so important?
Flossing is essential for removing debris, bacteria, and plaque, which hide in the tiny crevices between your teeth. They stick around, accumulate, and irritate the gums if you don't remove them with floss. Flossing can lower your risk of gingivitis, gum disease, and tooth decay.
Plaque that can contribute to cavities or gum disease is removed from regions where a toothbrush cannot reach by cleaning in between teeth. Regular flossing helps remove plaque-causing particles from between teeth.
Latest Oral Health News
Daily Health News
More Health News »Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Penn Dental Medicine. The 4-1-1 on When to Floss. https://penndentalmedicine.org/when-to-floss/
Clay J. Does Flossing Work? The Answer and Other Truths About Taking Care of Your Teeth. HSC News. https://hscnews.usc.edu/does-flossing-work-the-answer-and-other-truths-about-taking-care-of-your-teeth
Top Can Dentists Tell if You Floss Related Articles
Can You Fix Rotten Teeth?
There is no cure for rotten teeth, however, treatment options can help limit further decay. When a tooth is badly decayed, the dentist may extract it and replace it with an implant.
Can You Fix Tooth Decay?
While tooth decay can be prevented, once it starts it can only be stopped from progressing further. It can’t be reversed.
Cavities
Learn more about cavities including symptoms, treatment, and prevention. See how tooth decay, plaque, and bacteria contribute to the creation of cavities and how regular brushing and flossing can help prevent dental caries.
Dental Health Quiz
Take the Dental Health Quiz to test your IQ of oral hygiene, cavities, and common tongue and gum diseases. This quiz covers healthy mouths and teeth from brushing to flossing and everything in between check-ups!
Do You Really Need to Floss?
Dental floss is a flexible strand made of nylon filaments or plastic monofilaments. Dentists recommend flossing once a day to remove plaque, prevent gum disease and help reduce bad breath.
Gingivitis Gum Disease Quiz: Test Your Dental IQ
What is gingivitis and how will you know if you have it? If you have gum disease, what can you do about it? Take this quiz to learn more about the health and wellness of your mouth!
Habits that Wreck Teeth
Is chewing ice bad for your teeth? How do you avoid rotten teeth? Learn how chewing ice, eating snacks, teeth grinding and other habits can prevent you from attaining perfect teeth.
Is Dental Cleaning Painful?
A dental cleaning is typically a painless procedure because there is no cutting or injecting involved. In some cases, the doctor may drill a tooth if there is a small cavity and put some filling or a sealant. In such cases, there may have tooth pain for a day or two and some teeth sensitivity as well.
Your Breath and Health
Bad breath causes include snoring, gum disease, acid reflux, respiratory infections, tonsil stones, diabetes, liver failure, kidney failure, H. pylori, dehydration, infections, and use of certain medications. Bad breath cures or remedies depend on the underlying cause. Some people use bad breath toothpaste or mouthwash to combat the problem.
Protect Your Teeth: 19 Bad Dental Habits to Avoid
Bad dental habits can wreck your teeth. Teeth grinding, chewing on ice, playing sports without a mouth guard, and eating and drinking sugary foods and drinks are just a few bad habits that are bad for teeth. Giving nighttime baby bottles, opening things with your teeth, and chewing on pencils can also damage teeth and tissues in the mouth. Drinking red wine and white wine can erode enamel and stain teeth. Smoking, tobacco use, drinking coffee can all lead to tooth stains. Binge eating disorder leads to the consumption of large amounts of sugary food, which can lead to tooth decay. Purging exposes teeth to acids that can wear down enamel.
Mouth Problems: TMJ, Canker Sores, Painful Gums and More
Sores, painful gums, bad breath -- what's going on in your mouth? Find out with our slideshow of the most common mouth problems. Learn about canker sores, cold sores, oral thrush, TMJ, and oral cancer. See what treatments for bad breath and other dental problems are available from your dentist.
What Is the Best Toothbrush?
A toothbrush is one of the things that we all need for maintaining our oral hygiene. Though selecting a good toothbrush might sound like an easy task, there are a few things that you should remember while buying one.
Teeth, Gums and Health
Is your mouth healthy? Teeth and gums can warn you about diseases like diabetes, anemia, and osteoporosis. Find out why gum disease is often found in people with rheumatoid arthritis, and why tooth loss and kidney disease may be linked.