Written by Dr. Reza Khazaie
A Dance Craze For Your Teeth
Here’s how to know if you’re a kid that’s on trend or just a clueless parent like me. When you think of flossing do you think about dental hygiene or does your mind go directly to a dance move all your friends are doing? If you’re a parent and you don’t already know, this is what your kids are doing when you’re not around.
They’re dancing!
You might be wondering what a social media fad, or viral cultural phenomenon, has to do with teeth. The truth is, it doesn’t really have anything to do with teeth or with dental hygiene, that is, except that it’s called “the floss” dance.
And just like the internet dance phenomenon, actual flossing is all about technique and making the right moves. Now if only we adults could figure out a way to get our kids or even some of our fellow adults and colleagues to get equally as excited about flossing their teeth.
How to Floss Like A Boss
Flossing, like dancing, is all about establishing the right technique, followed by proper practice until it looks easy.
According to the American Dental Association, this is how you should teach your kids to floss and how you should be flossing your teeth.
- 1Wrap about 18 inches of flossing string around one of your middle fingers, with the rest wound around the middle finger on the other hand.Name of the element
- 2Hold the floss taut between the thumbs and forefingers.
- 3Gently insert the floss in between the teeth.
- 4Curve the floss into a “C” shape against the side of the tooth so that it wraps, or hugs, the tooth.
- 5Gently press the flossing string against the tooth and rub up and down. (Don’t suddenly jerk the string or floss too hard).
- 6Floss all your teeth including the ones in the back.
Flossing, like dancing, is all about establishing the right technique, followed by proper practice until it looks easy.
According to the American Dental Association, this is how you should teach your kids to floss and how you should be flossing your teeth.
7 Flossing Tools for Healthier Teeth
Studies have shown that there isn’t a significant difference in plaque-removing ability between many of the leading flossing products on the market. What’s important is finding a product that works for you and encourages you to floss regularly. Whether you prefer to use waxed string floss, or flavored floss, or a water flosser, what matters is that you floss every day at least once a day and that you do so correctly.
1. Multifilament Woven String Floss
Not all string floss is created equal. There are a few different types that have their unique strengths and weaknesses. One of the most common is multifilament woven string floss. These are essentially tiny ropes made from woven strands of nylon fiber.
Multifilament woven floss is incredibly economical. A typical roll will cost well under a dollar. However, woven strings have certain drawbacks. After a few rubs, woven strings can fray or break leading to discomfort and inadequate plaque removal.
2. Shred-resistant Monofilament String Floss
Monofilament string floss is string floss that is composed of a single, monolithic, strand of material. This dramatically reduces the likelihood of fraying or breakage during flossing.
3. Waxed Floss
Some dental string flosses are coated with a layer of wax. This reduced friction in between teeth leads to improved comfort without compromising plaque removal effectiveness.
4. Dental Tape
Dental tape is another type of string floss. It is essentially a wide, flat ribbon of nylon that comes either waxed or unwaxed. Some people find this type to be grippier, stronger, and easier to slide in between teeth.
5. Water Flosser
Water flossers, such as Waterpik, utilize pressurized water to aid in cleaning around and in between teeth. Much like pressure washing the siding of a house, water flossers shoot a jet of water to remove dental plaque.
6. Alternative Electric Flossers
There are some other electric-powered flossing alternatives to water flossers. Some, such as the Phillips Sonicare AirFloss, directs a steady stream of pressurized air mixed with water vapor to produce the same plaque-removing effects of a water flosser but using much less liquid. Air flossers are also generally much more compact and less unwieldy compared to conventional water flossers.
7. Floss Pick
Flossing with traditional string floss can be somewhat difficult for many. As we all know, proper technique is crucial for common string floss to be effective. It can be quite awkward at times getting to the back teeth with regular string floss. However, with a floss pick, flossing is much easier. A floss pick is simply a small piece of string floss held in place by a plastic prong, like a slingshot. On one end of a floss pick is the string and prong, and on the other side is usually a sharp point, or pick, that can be used like a toothpick.
Remember, no matter what flossing aid or flosser you choose, the important thing is to floss and teach your family how to floss. It is one of three foundational oral hygiene habits that also include twice a day brushing and routine visits to Willow Pass Dental Care for dental checkups and teeth cleaning.
While certainly less trendy than the floss dance, dental flossing is a skill that will be far more useful and beneficial to oral health over a lifetime. So teach your kids how to floss correctly and help them build real, useful life skills.
DDS. Prosthodontist
