When I was a child, my parents gave me chores to do around the house, and one of those chores was to vacuum. From the age that I began vacuuming until I was in college, I vacuumed in no certain way. I just made sure that I vacuumed all of the floor. As I got to know my future husband in college, I learned that there was a specific way that vacuuming “should be done.” It should be completed in straight lines, slightly overlapping the previous line to create an orderly vacuuming pattern on the carpet that looks neat and precise. After I finished a very directed eye roll, I decided vacuuming was not my thing.
I feel like flossing can be similar. People try it off and on again but never consistently, then the dentist or hygienist shows them how they should be flossing. It can put people off, and they decide they are never going to be good at flossing, so why bother? Please do not be put off by this blog post! I am going to display how and where the floss should go to be effective. I am also going to discuss a few different tools you can use, so you can decide what works for you and your child.
When should you begin
flossing your child’s teeth?
When your child’s teeth begin to touch.
This is typically around the age of 2-5.
How should I start
flossing?
Children tend to imitate their parents, so when it is time to start flossing,
have your child watch you floss. You can
let them hold the floss, taste the flavor, and let it pique their
interest. Do not let your child use floss or play with floss unsupervised. It can be a strangulation hazard or damage
gums if used inappropriately. Always
watch your child while playing with floss.
Once they have gotten used to seeing floss and looking forward to “flossing
time,” you can start adding it to their daily routine. Maybe one day you get one tooth flossed and the
next day you get two teeth flossed. The
key is being consistent with it.
What kind of floss is best?
I get this question frequently. My typical response is, “Whatever kind of floss you will use.” I have learned in dental school that traditional floss is what is the “best.” But some people are not able to use that, especially parents who are flossing young children’s teeth. I have found that a lot of times when parents are told this, they go home, try it once, fail, and decide that it is not worth the fight. With my own child, I have found the flossers most successful. Children like the bright colors, and it is less of a mouthful than a bunch of fingers and string. But if your child allows you to use traditional floss, go for it!
What are my flossing
options?
1. Traditional floss
2. Disposable floss picks
3. Non-disposable floss picks (use traditional floss to wrap around the pick
and replace the floss after every use)
What is not a
flossing option?
1. Interdental brushes or dental picks – these can remove plaque between
teeth, but it can never get the little bit right beneath where the two teeth
contact. The contact point is where
cavities begin. These brushes and picks
can be helpful in cleaning the gums but are not a substitute for flossing
2. Water picks or flossers – the same reason as the interdental brushes and
picks. You need something that goes
straight down between the teeth to remove all the plaque that can cause
cavities
What if my child’s gums bleed when I floss?
Many times parents say that they see their child’s gums bleed when they floss, so they must be flossing too hard and they stop flossing. Is it possible to floss too hard? YES. Is this likely the problem? No. The reason our gums bleed when we floss is because, the plaque that has been collecting between our teeth irritates our gums. Our body’s response to an irritant is to increase the blood flow to that area to aid in stopping a bacterial invasion. You do not need to stop flossing. You need to floss more! As you become consistent with flossing, you will have less bacteria between the teeth and the gums will have no need to have extra blood flow to these areas, and the bleeding will stop. When you first begin flossing, your gums may be sore. That will also subside as the gums become less inflamed.
