Clean the teeth
Toothbrushing cannot clean the adjacent surfaces of teeth. If we want to remove
the plaque accumulated on the adjacent tooth surfaces,
we must use dental floss daily. Parents or caregivers can assist children or people
in need to clean adjacent tooth surfaces by using a floss holder.
Plaque accumulated on the adjacent tooth surfaces
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Flossing technique
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1. Use a piece of dental floss which is approximately 20-25 cm long. Tie both ends
to make a loop. Use the thumbs and the forefingers of both hands to hold the floss,
leaving about 2 cm of floss in between.
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2. Use a sawing motion; gently slide the floss towards the gingival (gum) margin.
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3. Wrap around one tooth making a "C" shape and gently slide it up and down against
the tooth. Then wrap around the adjacent tooth and repeat the up and down motions.
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Video display: Flossing Method
Video display: Tips for Using Dental Floss
Method of using floss holder
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1. Move the floss holder left and right and slowly slide the floss towards the gingival
margin. Pull the floss tightly against one of the adjacent tooth surfaces.
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2. Start from the bottom of the gingival margin; gently slide the floss up and down
to clean the adjacent tooth surface.
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3. Pull the floss tightly against the other adjacent tooth surface.
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4. Using the same technique, starting from the bottom of the gingival margin, gently
slide the floss up and down to clean the other adjacent tooth surface.
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Points to note
In case of gingival recession due to Periodontal Disease,
the gap between the roots of neighbouring teeth will be wide. Then, an interdental toothbrush may be used instead of dental floss.
Solutions to common problems encountered when using dental floss
• Difficult to control the dental floss:
The further the distance between the two fingers holding the floss, the more difficult
it will be to control it. Therefore, you should keep the distance between the fingers
at about 2 cm and you can tighten up the floss when flossing. This will help improve
the situation.
• Difficult to clean the posterior teeth:
To clean the adjacent tooth surfaces of posterior teeth, you will need to use the
forefingers to control the floss inside the mouth.
• Improper use of dental floss causes injury to the gingivae:
Correct use of dental floss will not cause any damage to the gingivae. Remember
you have to slowly “slide” the dental floss into the interdental space, pull the
floss taut against one side of the adjacent tooth surfaces, start from the bottom
of the gingival margin, and pull the floss up and down to clean the surface. This
will not injure the gingival tissue.
• Difficulty in sliding the floss into the interdental space:
This can be caused by the accumulation of calculus. The situation will be improved
once the calculus has been removed by scaling. Remember to brush and floss your
teeth daily after the calculus has been removed.