Dental Floss Threader

According to dental science, flossing is an essential part of dental care and hygiene. In fact, many dentists suggest that one should floss at least once a day, for good health of teeth as well as gums. Regular dental flossing benefits your teeth by preventing cavities, bad breath, gum diseases and many other dental diseases. It also helps to remove food residuals and dental plaque bacteria from teeth and gums.

Braces and other dental appliances make great breeding grounds for bacteria and other microorganisms, and flossing regularly can help bring down on plaque and other unpleasant dental conditions. But flossing can be difficult, especially for people who have braces, bridges, dental implants and permanent retainers that block the gums and teeth which are very close to each other. Under such conditions, floss threaders should be used that allow proper navigation around these obstructions.

Dental Floss Threader

It is a flexible device, specially designed to help people with braces, bridgework or other dental appliances that restrict access to teeth. It has a thin, firm end and a loop into which one can thread the dental floss. This stiff or firm end enables to slide the floss through the tight or thin spaces between the teeth and bridge, which has to be pulled slowly as soon as the floss comes between the teeth and the bridge. After which one can remove the floss threader from the mouth and use the dental floss as one would normally use.

Instructions for Using Dental Floss Threader

Apart from flossing teeth regularly, it is more important to learn the correct way to floss in order to remove dental plaque as mush as possible. Therefore, following are simple instructions on how to use floss threaders.

• Gently insert the stiff end of the floss threader below the gum line by the bridge. Hold on to the long piece of floss and pull the sharp end of the floss through the threader.
• Now hold the floss with both hands and move the floss back and forth below your bridge. Start flossing like you usually do with a normal piece of floss.
• Be careful while using it underneath your new implants, bridges and braces and ensure that you floss completely underneath the bridge using back and forth motion.
• Pull the floss to opposite side when you are done cleaning your teeth. For each flossing use a fresh section of floss.

You can also use superfloss, an advance variation of the floss threader which has a thick, firm end to help pull the rest of the floss through. Initially, you may feel a bit uneasy to clean underneath your new bridges and braces but after a week or so, you will get accustomed to this new dental care and hygiene routine. However, you need to take care to insert the floss threader carefully into the mouth and use the floss gently until your mouth gets used to this new dental device.

Though most dentists suggest that you should floss your teeth after every meal, if you are in a habit of flossing your teeth once a day, but it is better to floss them at night before you go to bed to maintain a good oral health, provided you do it properly and thoroughly.