FLOSSING YOUR TEETH CAN BE A WASTE OF TIME- EVEN DOES MORE HARM, PROFESSIONAL DENTAL EXPERTS CLAIM

--Less than one fifth of us actually do it regularly.

--Many of those who do are performing it incorrectly, say dentists.

--Bad technique can push plaque and bacteria deeper into the gums.

--This can develop the risk of gum disease and painful damage.

A leading expert warned that if not performed correctly, flossing can do more harm than good.

Every six months, you see the dentist for a cleaning and are likely to hear a lecture about the importance of flossing. Dental flossing is aimed to prevent gum diseases by gliding between the spaces of your teeth and removing sticky bacteria and plaque which generate acid irritating the gums, causing cavities, inflammation and gum diseases.

However, flossing requires high-leveled dexterity to manipulate the floss in the mouth, especially towards the back and most people simple fail to do it correctly. Instead of removing plaque, there are too many cases in which the plaque is being pushed further into the gums and left there. Another common mistake is that many people use floss to drag back and forth as if they were sawing. This cannot remove plaque, but traumatize the gums.

“Flossing is difficult to do- and difficult to do well- so we have to start looking at alternatives,” says Robin Seymour, leading periodontologist and emeritus professor of Dental Sciences of Newcastle University. “There are other easier ways to get pearly-whites such as a powered toothbrush, then using an interdental brush to clean between the teeth and completing with an alcohol-free mouthwash.

         An easier way to get pearly-whites is using a powered tooth brush, an interspace or interdental toothbrush and a decent mouthwash.

An antiseptic mouthwash has been proven to be beneficial for cleaning between the teeth which requires fewer instructions- it is essential to swish the solution around the mouth and use tongue to push it between the teeth- but has the benefit of being much easier to use than dental floss. Additionally, using a mouth wash can be as good as flossing because most contain fluoride which brings advantages in terms of protecting teeth from decay and an alcohol-free mouthwash is recommended. A tip is looking for a mouth wash containing CPC (cetylpyridinium chloride) which helps bind to proteins in the mouth and producing a protective lining, which can work for up to 12 hours.

There are about 500 types of bacteria in the mouth and some are more sensitive to certain antibacterial agents, so a mouthwash containing both CPC and essential oils is ideal. CPC helps attack newly-forming plaque while essential oils tackle more stubborn deposits. Moreover, this kind of mouthwash stains the debris and plaque, so when spitting out the mouthwash, you can clearly see what is removed.

Professor Seymour’s tooth tips

--Use a powered toothbrush and replace the heads every 4 to 6 weeks.

--Always use fluoride-based toothpaste and if receding gums appear, use toothpaste with higher content of fluoride.

--Ideally brush for 2 minutes.

--Never brush right after drinking carbonated soft drinks or orange juice because it will increase the risk of dental erosion.

--Use alcohol-free mouthwashes containing CPC and essential oils.