How often should you floss?

Faith

I'm sick to the back teeth (sorry, couldn't resist!) of getting bloody fillings. I got endless ones on my milk teeth, and while I take better care of my real teeth, there's still cavities forming. I've had such unpleasant experiences at the dentist the last few times, I want to do everything in my power to avoid having to go much more!

So, how often should you floss? Daily? Will using mouthwash help reduce the incidence of cavities?

Also, how long do fillings last (the metal ones)? Can I make them last longer?

Big_G

Flossing once a day should be enough. Some people advocate flossing before brushing, so that the brush removes the plaque debris, and some advocate after so that the floss drags flouride from toothpaste into the area between the teeth.

There are a few simple things that you can do to reduce your risk of cavities/decay:
1. Adjust your diet. Diet is the single biggest contributor to decay. It's not the amount of carbohydrate intake you have it's the frequency that's important, so that means no between meal snacking. Acid containing drinks, and anything with a high sugar content has a higher potential to lower the pH of the mouth (more acid) which can cause decay.

2. Use flouride containing toothpaste and mouthwash twice a day. This is important as flouride helps to remineralise early decay thus preventing a cavity. Flouride makes the teeth more resistant to future decay also. Be careful when selecting toothpaste - some 'herbal' or other toothpastes do not contain flouride at all. These toothpastes - in my opinion - are of very little use in fighting decay. Mouthwash should contain .5% flouride in one of its many chemical forms and should hopefully contain no alcohol, although alcohol free mouthwashes can be difficult to find.

3. Floss - the area between the teeth is the area unreachable by both mouthwash and toothpaste. Flossing removes plaque and food debris which can contribute to decay.

4. Regular (6-12 monthly) visits to the dentist are crucial. Decay that is spotted early enough can be reversed. The dentist can provide professional cleaning and get the plaque and calculus that toothbrushing misses (no matter how good you are with the brush, there will always be something left over). The dentist can teach you the correct technique for toothbrushing (you'd be amazed how many people just don't know how to brush their teeth properly). The dentist can also provide adjuncts to oral hygiene such as flouride varnish, flouride mouth trays and can help you motivate yourself to achieve good oral hygiene, important not only in decay prevention but also in periodontal (gum and bone) health.

Fillings can last between five and twenty years, but on average last about 10. The best way to make fillings last is good oral hygiene and regular dental visits. No different to looking after natural tooth.

Doomspell

Use mouthwash thats high in flouride is what my dentist tells me as my teeth are like chalk, strong and healthy but are not so healthy when it comes to sugar......like chalk!

tabatha

once a day for flossing is fine.

DOLEMAN

I only have one filling.

I floss every night (before brushing) and brush (no flossing) when I wake up. If my teeth feel dirty, I brush them.

I go to the dentist every year or two.

I try to avoid sweet drinks. Other than that, my diet is fairly "normal".

Doomspell

Oh! and fizzy drinks tend to dissolve the filling:D