![]() Department of Health and Human Services also reaffirmed flossing as "an important oral hygiene practice" in an August 2016 communication to ADA News. 1 A news release from the ADA 4 reaffirmed the use of an interdental cleaner (like floss) as an essential part of taking care of teeth and gums. 3 Dental floss and other interdental cleaners help clean these hard-to-reach tooth surfaces and reduce the likelihood of gum disease and tooth decay. Interdental cleaning helps remove debris and interproximal dental plaque, the plaque that collects between two teeth. 3 The choice between technique type should be made in relation to the characteristics of the patient for example, dental floss could be indicated in individuals with closed interdental spaces, and interproximal brushes in patients with periodontitis or in those with more open interproximal spaces. Interproximal cleaning techniques (e.g., manual or powered interdental cleaners, water flossers, interdental brushes), appear to add benefits in plaque reduction when used in association with conventional manual brushes. This condition is called gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease. 3 When this happens, brushing and cleaning between teeth become more difficult, and gum tissue can become swollen or may bleed. Plaque that is not removed can harden into tartar, a hard mineral deposit that forms on teeth and can only be removed through professional cleaning by a dental professional. 1 Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Dental floss (or dental tape) and other interdental cleaners (e.g., small brushes, special wooden or plastic picks, sticks or water flossers) removes food trapped between the teeth and removes the film of bacteria that forms there before it has a chance to harden into plaque.
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