For decades dentists have recommended flossing as an essential part of oral hygiene. But how useful is it really?
Flossing is supposedly done to get rid of pieces of food and plaque from between your teeth, which if left, can cause inflammation and disease.
1.flossing requires a high level of dexterity and if wrongly done, will do more harm than good, according to Dr. prashant ojha
2.Instead of removing plaque, most people end up pushing the plaque between their teeth down underneath the gums and leaving it there.
3.Another common mistake is using a sawing action to drag the floss back and forth. This does not remove plaque effectively but it can traumatise the gums."I think a far better approach is to brush thoroughly, then use an interspace or interdental brush to clean between the teeth and finish off with an alcohol-free mouthwash," Dr..ojha was quoted as saying.
4.Antiseptic mouthwashes have been shown to be particularly beneficial for cleaning between the teeth. "Using a mouthwash is going to be as good as flossing, and as most also contain fluoride there are additional benefits in terms of protecting teeth from decay," Dr. ojha added."I would always advise using an alcohol-free mouthwash as there is no benefit to alcohol in terms of efficacy.
5.The British Dental Association said: "Small inter-dental brushes are best for cleaning the area in between the teeth, where there is space to do so.