Is It Necessary To Use Dental Floss?

Flossing plus toothbrushing may help in reducing gum disease compared to toothbrushing alone, but improper flossing can hurt the gums.

Dental floss is a long thread or a filament that has been widely used to remove microbes (dental plaque) present between the teeth. Though it has been commonly used to remove food materials, the primary purpose is to effectively remove dental plaque or microbes. Floss is made from nylon or plastic material and can be waxed or unwaxed. It is available as a single filament material or a multifilament material. Wax is added to the floss so that it can be passed quickly between the tooth contact. However, there have been speculations that the waxed floss can cause deposition of the wax material in the contact region between the teeth, leading to the reformation of microbes. Further, if multifilament floss is used, then shredding of the floss material can occur. But according to the literature and scientific research, effectiveness of flossing does not depend on the company or type of floss material.

Can I floss my teeth everyday?

Scientific evidence does not support the use of dental floss for everyday oral hygiene. However, it has been found that flossing plus toothbrushing showed good benefit in reducing gum disease compared to toothbrushing alone. Unfortunately, when evidence was graded to check the effectiveness of dental floss, it was determined to be of poor quality. However, few of these pieces of evidence have shown an excellent benefit of flossing between teeth. For example, a hummingbird power flosser that uses a motor-driven rubber stimulator effectively reduces gum problems when used in combination with a powered toothbrush.

Dental flossing, when used professionally, could reduce the risk of dental caries that commonly occur between the teeth. Although flossing may not be a practical gum-care companion in terms of its benefits, it could be advised in patients with spaces that allow only the string of floss to penetrate. Furthermore, it is unnecessary to use dental floss as the first tool, but it could be a part of the standard oral hygiene kit.

Improper flossing can hurt the gums

Disease-free gums are achievable with flossing if proper instructions are followed. It could be much more effective for those with good manual dexterity and controlled or absence of any other health problems. The most frequent harm identified during improper flossing is hurting the gums, but it is reversible. The area where the gums have been wounded would heal once the flossing is stopped. The desirable benefits of flossing in reducing gum disease seem to outweigh the potential harms. Hence high-quality flossing is an achievable goal if the dentist and the patient work together towards it.

The inputs are shared by Dr Santhosh Kumar, Associate Professor, Department of Periodontology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal.