Tooth brushing alone is not effective in removing plaque from between teeth. If you floss after you have brushed your teeth you will quickly see what your toothbrush has left behind.
Flossing is an essential part of a good daily oral hygiene routine. With the right technique & a little practice, flossing should take between 60-90 seconds to do. Once daily is enough. Most of us, no matter how busy, can find this time.
If your gums bleed when you begin flossing, most likely your gums are inflamed by the build up of plaque between your teeth. If you floss daily for 2 weeks the bleeding should stop. If it continues beyond this time it could be a symptom of a deeper problem-periodontitis. Please make an appointment to have your gums properly examined.
Some people are resistant to flossing as they are concerned that they may pull out a filling. If you manage to pull out a filling while flossing, chances are the filling was defective. A loose, defective filling won’t stop bacteria getting under the filling but will prevent the toothbrush effectively cleaning the area. A loose filling is better out than in!
Flossing should start as soon as there is contact between any of the baby teeth. This typically occurs at around age 4. Obviously at this age, children are not capable of flossing effectively. Parents should floss their children’s teeth until they are capable of doing a good job themselves. For most children this would be around age 9 or 10.
Alex Bratic Dental Care is conveniently located on City Road at Beenleigh. We are close to transport and our onsite parking is free and very easy to access.
For all Health Fund Members our HICAPS facility enables payments to be processed at the time of the appointment, which means members, are only required to pay the difference between the charged fee & the Health Fund Rebate (gap fee).
Contact us on (07) 3287 2627 or simply book your appointment online.