Audience and Use Profile
These instructions can be used by people of all ages;
however, the intended focus group here is the parent and child: to teach and
show children how to properly floss teeth and gums. The adult parent has had
many years of brushing their teeth, but according to Sun Valley Pediatric
Dentistry, the American Dental Association states, 50.5% of Americans floss
daily, 31% floss less than daily, and 18.5% do not floss at all (Sun Valley Pediatric Dentistry, 2014) . A couple of reasons
stated for not flossing are: Not knowing how-to and not having enough time (WebMD, 2015) . For the sake of the 50% of Americans that may
not floss daily or not at all, do not know how-to, or have enough time; these instructions
are presented in a clear concise format for understanding. Once the technique is achieved, parents and
children can effortlessly floss at any given time of the day or night.
Introduction
Flossing uses a thin threadlike fiber material called
dental floss, to clean between teeth and along the gum line in order to remove
any food particles and dental plaque in the mouth. Flossing, along with regular brushing, helps build
strong healthy teeth and gums while promoting overall good oral health and
hygiene. Avoiding flossing can lead to
bad breath and dental plaque, “a soft sticky film that builds up on your teeth and contains
millions of bacteria” (Delta Dental, 2012) . Plaque, if not removed by regular brushing
and flossing, becomes a harden deposit (tartar) around the tooth causing tooth
decay and gum disease.
At least once a day (preferably twice a day), guide dental floss between and
alongside each tooth and under the gum line to remove any remaining food
particles and/or plaque that was not removed by brushing. It is very important to reach back teeth
(molars), to remove any remains, because of higher chances of decay and gum
disease occur here if not dealt with thoroughly (WebMD, 2015) .
The following are steps to effectively floss teeth:
The
Process
Take about 18 to 24 inches
of floss; wrap it around the middle finger of one hand, with the rest wrapped
around the middle finger of the opposite hand.
Children can wrap floss around either the middle or index finger,
whichever is comfortable. Leave about 1
to 2 inches of useable floss between fingers to guide between teeth.
There are two types of floss
(1) nylon which is made of many threadlike fibers (waxed or unwaxed), and (2) PTFE
[Telfon] made of a single fiber (Colgate-Palmolive Company, 2010) . The choice of floss is based upon preference;
however, nylon floss may tear or shed during flossing, whereas PTFE is highly
resistant to tear and is good to slide between tight spaced teeth. No matter the choice, both types will
effectively assist in the flossing process (Colgate-Palmolive Company, 2010) .
Tightly hold floss between
the thumbs and forefingers. With a
gentle back and forth motion, insert floss between the teeth. Press and guide
the floss alongside the tooth, rubbing gently up and down against the
tooth. Allow floss to enter under gum
line (part of the upward motion) for additional cleaning. Avoid jerking and snapping floss not to damage
gums, cause pain or rip floss.
Once process is complete,
wind used floss through fingers (from one hand to the other) to unravel another
1 to 2 inches of clean floss to cleanse the next tooth. Always floss the next tooth with a clean
strip to avoid any transfer of food particles or plaque that could remain in
the mouth and between teeth. If there is
no clean floss to use, collect a new piece of floss from the floss dispenser to
continue the process.
Floss all teeth in like
manner. Discard used floss. Take every effort to reach and thoroughly floss
back teeth (vital area) to avoid plaque buildup and decay.
Conclusion
Flossing, along with regular tooth brushing, promotes healthy
teeth, gums, and oral hygiene; while fighting against bad breath, cavities,
tartar buildup, gum disease, and other dental health issues. Once a suitable
type of floss is chosen, make every effort to floss teeth at least once a day
(preferably twice). Flossing between
teeth and under the gum line will capture and rid the mouth of unwanted debris
and bacteria. Always use a clean strip
or section of floss for each tooth. Diligently
reach back teeth for thorough and complete cleansing.
References
Colgate-Palmolive Company. (2010, November 15). Oral
Care Center. Retrieved from Colgate.com:
http://www.colgate.com/en/us/oc/oral-health/basics/brushing-and-flossing/article/how-to-floss
Delta Dental. (2012, March). Articles:
What is plaque. Retrieved from deltadentalins.com:
https://www.deltadentalins.com/oral_health/plaque.html
MintMan. (2016, January 5). The
Benefits of Flossing Your Teeth Daily. Photo retrieved from Mintalar
Dental: http://mintalardental.com/blog/
Sun Valley Pediatric Dentistry. (2014,
August 27). Statistics on brushing, flossing and oral health. Retrieved
from sunvalleypediatricdentistry.com:
http://sunvalleypediatricdentistry.com/statistics-brushing-flossing-oral-health/
WebMD. (2015, November). Oral Care
Center. Retrieved from webmd.com: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/healthy-teeth-14/flossing-excuse
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