Do you floss behind your last tooth?

It is important to floss behind your back molars even though they are the last tooth. In addition, you should also be sure that you are flossing between every tooth, as well as along the sides of every tooth.

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How do you clean behind the last molar?

Flip the brush upside down and sideways as you shove it gently back (as far back in your mouth as you can) and forth around both the upper and lower back molars to clean the front, inside, and side surfaces of all your molars thoroughly. Flossers with long handles make also make it easier to floss your back molars.

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Should you floss behind your wisdom tooth?

This means that you can floss your front teeth carefully after you've given your mouth at least two full days to heal. Again, be sure to avoid flossing directly around the surgery site and floss only the front teeth to avoid irritating the tissue toward the back of your mouth.

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How far up the tooth should floss go?

After you slide the floss between your teeth, you should bend it around the tooth and let it plunge beneath the gum line (in a perfect world, it should plunge around 2 – 3 millimeters down).

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Is it possible to floss too deep?

Effects of Flossing Too Hard

With hard flossing over time, your gums will begin to recede. Once this happens, you'll start to experience tooth pain due to the areas of the tooth being exposed can have thin enamel. With extreme cases, the root of the tooth can be exposed causing even further tooth pain.

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Dental Hygienist TEACHES How To Floss

44 related questions found

Should you floss behind last molar?

It is important to floss behind your back molars even though they are the last tooth. In addition, you should also be sure that you are flossing between every tooth, as well as along the sides of every tooth.

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Should floss go below gum line?

Take complete advantage of the pliability and thin structure of floss by allowing it to ascend 2-3 millimeters below your gum line. This helps to remove bacteria that could contribute to gum disease and compromise your tooth health.

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How do I know if I'm flossing correctly?

Your Gums Shouldn't Bleed When You Floss

It should be a gentle motion moving it up and down along the sides of each tooth. The aim is to clean the areas a toothbrush can miss, not just pulling the floss back and forth and irritating the gumline.

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How do dentists tell you don't floss?

They think they can pull a fast one on us, but here's a little secret: dentists can tell when you've been flossing and when you haven't. The way we can tell if you're not flossing is if your gums are bleeding. Although there are other, less common conditions that can make your gums bleed, gingivitis is the main cause.

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Is there a wrong way to floss?

Floss teeth, not gums

Flossing incorrectly doesn't accomplish its purpose of cleaning between your teeth, and it can do more harm than good. When flossing, don't pull the floss straight down onto the gums. Doing so repeatedly can damage your gum tissue. Remember that you're flossing your teeth — not your gums.>

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Why won't floss go between my molars?

Floss can get stuck for one of many reasons, such as: Your teeth are too close together. You have plaque built up in between your teeth that's trapping the floss. You have a restoration like a crown or filling that has started to break down and make the surfaces between your teeth uneven.

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How do you clean between last tooth and wisdom teeth gum?

It's also advisable to use mouthwash when impacted wisdom teeth grow to get rid of food or bacteria that gets trapped between the gum and the wisdom tooth. ¹ Rinsing with an anti-bacterial mouthwash will also help decrease the risk of developing pericoronitis, an inflammatory gum condition.

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What is behind the last molar?

Wisdom teeth erupt in the very back of your mouth, just behind your second molars.

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What is the gum flap behind the last molar?

If you have an impacted wisdom tooth, a gum flap can form over the top of it. This flap — called an operculum — usually covers part of your tooth crown. Food, bacteria and debris can get trapped underneath the operculum and cause infection.

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Why is there a white hole in my gum behind my last molar?

This condition is known as gingivitis. Gingivitis can worsen into periodontitis, possibly leading to tissue and bone loss. As a result, pockets or holes appear between the teeth and gums. Bacterial and viral infections are also possible culprits of holes in your gums.

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What is the white stuff on my floss?

The white stuff that you find on the floss, is a colony of bacteria you have just disrupted. As soon as you're done, they'll start their process of rebuilding. That's why daily is important.

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Why does my breath smell bad when I floss?

A regular bad smell or taste after flossing could indicate that you have a dental problem, especially if you've noticed that your breath smells less than pleasant at other times. For example, you could have hidden decay on a tooth or problems with your gums.

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Why do I feel weird after flossing?

Feeling pain or discomfort after flossing for the first time is normal. Getting adjusted to a regular cleaning process may be a little painful, but it's important to stick with it. Once you establish a regular brushing and interdental cleaning routine, the pain should go away within a week or two.

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Can dentists tell if you just started flossing?

Yes, the Dentist Knows

They'll be able to detect the plaque and inflammation between your teeth even if you brushed and flossed right before you went in for your appointment. If you haven't been flossing, prepare yourself for a friendly and concerned lecture from your dental care provider.

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Why does my floss go deep in my gums?

Flossing Can Cause Gum Recession – When trying to pull the floss through the spaces between the teeth, some people may pull too hard causing the floss to violently pull on the gum tissue. This may allow the floss to go beneath the gum line, causing bleeding, gum recession, and even gum disease.

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Do dentists floss or brush first?

floss first because it will break up plaque between the teeth for the brush to remove.

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Do you floss up and down or back and forth?

Many people think all they need to do is quickly insert and remove the floss between each tooth, but that can leave plenty of plaque behind. Instead, once the floss is in place, curve the floss against each tooth surface in turn, using a gentle up-and-down motion to get rid of any debris.

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What happens if you don't floss under bridge?

When oral hygiene is not maintained, the teeth under the dental bridge can suffer from gum disease and tooth decay. This might result in loss of the abutment teeth and the bridge.

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Can flossing push food into gums?

In cases where a person has dental problems, like gingivitis etc., floss can actually aggravate the problems. There have been cases where floss has pushed plaque and debris deeper into the gums or cavities and caused further damage. Floss is not a band-aid, it won't erase a cavity.

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