Can You Over-Floss Your Teeth?

Flossing is an important part of oral hygiene. It removes dental plaque from between your teeth and helps prevent gum disease. Yet, too much flossing or improper flossing can cause more damage than good. Can you really over-floss you teeth? Yes.

How Often Should You Floss Your Teeth?
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends flossing your teeth once per day. Beyond the removal of something stuck in your teeth, there is not much benefit to flossing more than once each day. The bacterial colonies that become plaque take about 24 hours to form. Flossing once during that 24-hour period is enough to stop the formation and prevent the development of plaque.

Damaging Your Gums and Teeth by Over-Flossing
Flossing several times per day can irritate and damage your gum tissue. This is especially true if too much pressure is applied in the process. Vigorous and excessive flossing can lead to sore, swollen or bleeding gums. Over-flossing can eventually lead to the destruction of the gum line, which exposes more of the tooth and its root surface. As there is no enamel covering the root surface, exposing the root can cause sensitive teeth and root cavities.

Many people who over-floss use a sawing motion in the hope of really getting the tooth clean. This sawing motion can wear through the enamel and notch the tooth. In some cases, it has caused periodontal bone loss. Periodontal bone loss can eventually lead to the teeth becoming loose and falling out.

The Proper Way to Floss Your Teeth
In addition to the recommendation to floss only once each day, it is important to not over-floss in the sense of applying too much pressure or pressure in the wrong place. Always floss with gentle movements. Do not allow the floss to snap against the gums, but guide it gently into place along the side of the tooth.

The proper way to floss is:
1. Cut or break off a piece of floss approximately 18 inches in length. Wind the floss between your two index fingers until it is stretched tight.

2. Using your thumbs, guide the floss between your teeth and down to the gum line.

3. Once the floss is at the gum line, wrap it around one tooth so it forms a C shape. Slide it down into the space between the tooth and gum.

4. Gently rub the side of the tooth with the floss in an up and down motion. Do not use a sawing motion.

5. When doing the top teeth, extract the floss from between the teeth by moving it down and away from the gums. When flossing the upper teeth, move it up and away from the gums.

6. Repeat steps 1-5 for each tooth. Do not forget the back of the last tooth on each side.

Always take your time and be gentle when flossing. Keep your smile healthy and beautiful by avoiding the urge to over-floss.