What Is Dental Floss Made Of?

Everyone knows we need to floss. Yet less than 50% of Americans floss on a regular basis.  Along with brushing, flossing helps remove bacteria and plaque from your teeth. Flossing cleans places between teeth that your toothbrush can’t reach. There are many types and brands of
floss, one of which will be perfect for you.

Dental floss was originally made from silk. Today, dental floss is a fine thread or tape that is usually made of nylon or plastic, Teflo or polyethylene filaments. The tape floss is thicker than regular floss and works well for people who have gaps between their teeth. Floss also comes in different shapes. It can be spongy, flattened or round. You can even find floss which is made of a mixture of all three. If the thread is too thick, you’ll have trouble removing it; on the other hand, if it is too thin, it can be too weak to work well.

You have the choice of waxed and unwaxed floss. Most people prefer waxed floss, as it slides easier than waxed floss in tight spots. Floss also comes in flavors. The most popular flavors are cinnamon and mint. If you have problems manually flossing, there are dental floss holders available. There are also dental picks that are pre-loaded and ready to use.

Most of today’s dental floss comes in small plastic dispensers that contain 40 to 160 feet of floss. You pull out the amount you need to wrap around your fingers. There is a small hidden blade that will cut the floss.

You are never too old or too young to start flossing your teeth.  When your child’s first teeth appear, gently loop the tooth and pull the floss up and down against the sides. At the age of two or three you can let your child try to floss by themselves while you supervise. By the age of eight or nine, they should be able to floss on their own.
Children learn best by example. Observing their parents regularly flossing will
help the children establish good dental hygiene practices.