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There’s no shortage of hacks, snacks, and habits that purportedly help you stay healthier for longer. But while we’re busy chasing cutting-edge upgrades—from cold plunges and greens powders to living by the gospel of your Oura ring—we tend to miss out on less sexy yet still powerful tweaks that have been shown to meaningfully move the needle on long-term health. One such staple is the humble roll of floss, which is probably collecting dust in your medicine cabinet. However, you should probably break it out nightly not just for a brighter, cleaner smile, but to potentially benefit your heart and brain, too……..Continue reading…
Source: SELF
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Dental professionals recommend that a person floss once per day before or after brushing to reach the areas that the brush will not and allow the fluoride from the toothpaste to reach between the teeth. Floss is commonly supplied in plastic dispensers that contain 10 to 100 meters (33–330 ft) of floss. After pulling out approximately 40 cm (16 in) of floss, the user pulls it against a blade in the dispenser to cut it off.
The user then strings the piece of floss on a fork-like instrument, or holds it between their fingers using both hands with about 1–2 cm (1⁄2–1 in) of floss exposed. The user guides the floss between each pair of teeth and gently curves it against the side of the tooth in a ‘C’ shape and guides it under the gumline. This removes particles of food stuck between teeth and dental plaque that adheres to dental surfaces below the gumline.
Various dental flosses are commonly used in many forms, including waxed, unwaxed monofilaments and multifilaments. Dental floss that is made of monofilaments coated in wax slides easily between teeth, does not fray and is generally higher in cost than its uncoated counterparts. The most important difference between available dental flosses is thickness. Waxed and unwaxed floss are available in varying widths.
Studies have shown that there is no difference in the effectiveness of waxed and unwaxed dental floss, but some waxed types of dental floss are said to contain antibacterial agents and/or sodium fluoride. Factors to consider in choosing a floss include the amount of space between teeth and user preference. Dental tape is a type of floss that is wider and flatter than conventional floss. Dental tape is recommended for people with larger tooth surface area.
The ability of different types of dental floss to remove dental plaque does not vary significantly; the least expensive floss has essentially the same impact on oral hygiene as the most expensive. Factors to be considered when choosing the right floss or whether the use of floss as an interdental cleaning device is appropriate may be based on:
- The tightness of the contact area: determines the width of floss
- The contour of the gingival tissue
- The roughness of the interproximal surface
- The user’s manual dexterity and preference: to determine if a supplemental device is required
Specialized plastic wands, or floss picks, have been produced to hold the floss. These may be attached to or separate from a floss dispenser. While wands do not pinch fingers like regular floss can, using a wand may be awkward and can also make it difficult to floss at all the angles possible with regular floss. These types of flossers also run the risk of missing the area under the gum line that needs to be flossed. On the other hand, the enhanced reach of a wand can make flossing the back teeth easier.
Dental floss is the most frequently recommended cleaning aid for teeth sides with a normal gingiva contour in which the spaces between teeth are tight and small. The dental term ’embrasure space’ describes the size of the triangular-shaped space immediately under the contact point of two teeth. A floss pick is a disposable oral hygiene device generally made of plastic and dental floss.
The instrument is composed of two prongs extending from a thin plastic body of high-impact polystyrene material. A single piece of floss runs between the two prongs. The body of the floss pick generally tapers at its end in the shape of a toothpick. There are two types of angled floss picks in the oral care industry, the Y-shaped angle and the F-shaped angle floss pick.
At the base of the arch where the “Y” begins to branch there is a handle for gripping and maneuvering before it tapers off into a pick. Floss picks are manufactured in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes for adults and children. The floss can be coated in fluoride, flavor or wax.
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