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Many people pick their teeth after eating to remove food debris from between their teeth. However, Dr. Serah Wanza says that if done incorrectly, this habit can damage your gums badly. There is a small triangular space between your teeth that is filled with gum. Food often gets stuck there and the floss tries to remove it but often only does so superficially.
The biggest problem is that the floss is large and does not reach below the gum line. Instead of removing debris, it can push it further in and cause damage. Floss is the best because it hugs the tooth in a C-shape and reaches below the gum line to clean properly. If you use the floss daily, its pressure pushes the gums back and later causes swelling and spaces between your teeth.
Dr. Wanza says that if you must use a floss, use it in front of a mirror and gently. Do not poke your gums, the goal is to lift the food up, not push it down. Also, if a toothpick remains stuck between the teeth, it can cause infection because the body sees it as a foreign object.
The cleanest way is to floss once a day, preferably in the evening. There are water flossers and interdental brushes too, but you have to know what your teeth are like. Bottom line, floss is king, a pick if you play it wrong is dangerous for your gums.
The biggest problem is that the floss is large and does not reach below the gum line. Instead of removing debris, it can push it further in and cause damage. Floss is the best because it hugs the tooth in a C-shape and reaches below the gum line to clean properly. If you use the floss daily, its pressure pushes the gums back and later causes swelling and spaces between your teeth.
Dr. Wanza says that if you must use a floss, use it in front of a mirror and gently. Do not poke your gums, the goal is to lift the food up, not push it down. Also, if a toothpick remains stuck between the teeth, it can cause infection because the body sees it as a foreign object.
The cleanest way is to floss once a day, preferably in the evening. There are water flossers and interdental brushes too, but you have to know what your teeth are like. Bottom line, floss is king, a pick if you play it wrong is dangerous for your gums.
