Our mouths contain natural bacteria that create a film of plaque over our teeth throughout the day. We practice oral hygiene to remove this plaque in a timely fashion. Otherwise, the plaque can eat away at our dental structure and spread bacteria that can infect our mouths, including the gums.
Gum disease is common, but this periodontal infection can significantly hurt your oral health. It can make gum tissue recede and cause enough damage for a tooth to fall out of its socket. Preventative care is crucial to avoid contracting gum disease and therefore preserve the look and feel of your smile.
So you must practice proper oral hygiene, which involves both brushing your teeth and flossing. Traditional string floss will effectively clean your teeth. But a water flosser will offer targeted cleaning methods to improve your oral cleanliness. Read on to learn more about the advantages of using a water flosser as part of your oral hygiene routine.
What Does a Water Flosser Do?
A water flosser refers to an oral hygiene tool in which you fill the device with water and it generates a stream through a tip that you use to clean plaque and other residues from the mouth. Your toothbrush alone cannot reach all areas of the mouth where plaque can accumulate.
String floss can remove plaque from between teeth, but a water flosser can use the pressurized spray to wash away build-up from other tricky spots like near the gumline. When you use this device once a day along with your usual effective teeth brushing, you can eradicate more harmful plaque. Then you can reduce your chance of contracting dental problems like gum disease.
How Do I Use a Water Flosser Properly?
As with teeth brushing, using a water flosser will function best if you use it with purpose and proper technique. Consider using a mirror when flossing with this tool so that you can see where to aim the water stream. Start from the back of the mouth and wash the inside, outside, and between the teeth for each arch.
Begin with a low-pressure setting on the device and make adjustments according to your comfort level. Water flossers come with different tips that you can use depending on your specific oral health needs.
You can use a standard tip, one that better navigates orthodontic appliances, or one that can target the deep gum pockets. Bacteria can easily collect there and heighten your risk of gum disease, so this can be very useful.
A water flosser might seem messy as water might spray everywhere if you are not careful. Lean over a sink and keep the tip of the flosser under your lips so that you can easily allow water to flow from your mouth into the sink as you floss. You might want to try a cordless flosser that you can use in the shower for even less mess.