Dental Floss, Tape and Flossette

Dental floss is packaged in roll within a container. It is very thin and can be waxed or unwaxed. Some brands have flavouring or have fluoride contained with the floss. There is no difference in cleaning efficiency between waxed and unwaxed. However waxed is kinder to the gums.

Dental tape or Ribbon floss is wider floss and is ideally suited for cleaning fillings and larger spaces. They are usually waxed. They cover more of the tooth and because of the width tend not to break as easily as floss.

Flossette is basically a handle that has a fork consisting of floss between two ends. This helps cleaning back teeth. It is also very helpful for people with wrist problems. The same flossing principles apply when using the flossete. They come in boxes of ten Flossetes.

Use whatever floss type to clean the teeth DAILY at least.

For wider spaces use interdental brushes as they cover more tooth area and can remove large amounts of plaque and food debris quickly.

Next in the series – Cleaning Difficult Areas – Interdental Cleaners, part four – Cleaning Bridges